Keep It Plain and Simple

I have a son with severe Autism who is nearly non-verbal.  He makes a lot of noise, but doesn't say much.  He's never really talked and we've never been able to have a conversation with him.  We don't know what his school days are like, he doesn't complain, he doesn't share his joy... or his sorrow.  He can follow clear and short one or two step directions but is completely lost when we ask him how he feels.  He doesn't understand complex concepts like LOVE or HATE.  So we have to speak to him very plainly and very simply.  

Anyone who is trying to communicate the eternal Words of God would do well to spend some time with my son.  To learn how to communicate when the person you're trying to communicate with... doesn't.  

For followers of Jesus this is a struggle.  Often, trying to communicate with the world around us is like trying to talk to someone who can't understand you.  Let me give you some examples.  I used to play on a weekend adult soccer league with my brother-in-law.  I would get up on Sunday morning, preach, go to sunday school and then preach again.  While getting my cleats and shin guards on I'd talk with the other members of my team.  But I didn't understand where they were coming from.  They were all talking about the parties they had gone to Friday night after work, how they got up late saturday and spent the day drinking and how hard it was to get up at 11am that morning to get to the field for the game.  I did not understand.  I do a lot of counseling and I often hear stories of parole violations and illegal drugs and the conversation is littered with curse words.  I don't understand.

It can be a struggle to communicate effectively with a culture that you don't understand.  But that's exactly what we're called to do.  That was confirmed to me this morning when I read, "When someone hears the Word of God but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart."  The Word of God is shared but it is not understood by the hearer.  It is sown but would be like trying to plant a vegetable garden in your living room carpet.  Because the hearer has no way to process the Word; no way to grab ahold and let it sink in, it is easy for Satan to come and snatch it away.  

So who's fault is it?  Well, if I'm the one communicating God's Word, it's mine.  

That's exactly why I preach the way I do.  

I'm not a flowery communicator.  I don't feel the need to use every expensive word I learned in Bible college.  I use filler words, though I try to limit them, and my sentence structure isn't always the best.  I preach the way I talk.  And If you've read much of this blog you've discovered that I often write the way I talk as well.  I do these things because I'm comfortable with it.  It's the same reason I don't wear suits, I'm comfortable in jeans and t-shirts (and in the summer nothing but shorts as often as possible!).  

If you are trying to communicate God's Word it is YOUR responsibility (and mine) to communicate God's timeless Truth in a way that could be classified as plain and simple.  If you're one of those $100 dollar word talkers that's fine, a few people in your church - the spiritual elite - may understand it and pat you on the back.  But most will walk out only thinking you must be smart, not thinking, God must be great.  

If Satan snatches the Word away it is most likely because you (and I) haven't communicated God's Truth in a way that they can understand.  That's on us (me).