Communication is extremely important in any relationship. One of the greatest challenges is to be able and willing to step continually outside one’s proper paradigms so as to understand what the other person says from their viewpoint, from their life experience.
Today’s video, in a very graphic and humorous way, reminds us that people think differently and without this “stepping out,” every opportunity for dialogue is reduced to a simple monologue between two people launching words at one another without the slightest echo.
This lazy and egoistic form of relating to one another is truly a plague of our times. I think that in many situations we have lost the art of dialogue; one feels surrounded by one-way speakers. And this happens in our day-to-day relationships, even with those closest and most important to us. And, going one step further, the same can happen in our efforts of evangelization.
It’s Not About The Nail
Two basic elements are a must-have in any apostle’s repertoire: explaining our faith and listening. The two work together, take one out and what results is a one-way, sterilized interaction. How can you transmit a message if you don’t understand the language the other person speaks? How can you choose the right words, the right tone of voice, the right accents if you have no idea how these will impact them? Perhaps there are 100 different subjects that you could speak about, how do you choose which is more important, most urgent? It isn’t about some superficial political correctness; it’s about reverence: a discourse that responds to the person in front of you.
The video’s message is clear and can be applied in a wide variety of situations. I think it could be a great captatio for any conference or talk dealing with dating or marital relationships, or it could be a tool to demonstrate how men think differently from women, or how people think differently in general.
