hmmm...
Don't we often ask this question?
How can we be truly heard?

In today's devotion, we can truly see that there are indeed ways to communicate other than just saying, and speaking what you mean.
These are namely,

1. Giving a gentle touch
2. Asking the right question
3. Painting pictures with words.

1. Giving a gentle touch...
We always fail to give an appropriate value to the term touch.
When we were young, our parents gave us a hug and cuddle us as babies, as they look at their previous one, one to call upon as their own.
We would always receive a pat on our head when our elders want to show their affirmations and love.
When we get into a relationship, we give our other halves comforting touches to let them know we are near, and not to be afraid.
With our friends, we do the same too, just to comfort them, and to tell them that it's ok... everything's going to be alright.
When we have kids of our own, we touch them, to show our love.
When we are old, our grand kids touch us and play with our wrinkled skin to show their love.

Truly, touch can be quite... a touchy issue.

It is not surprising to see that it is part of the 5 languages of love by Gary Chapman.
In today's entry, we can see that God sends people to touch us as well...
Sometimes, that comforting touch is all that we need to know that God remembers us.
Once touch, we can release all our emotions.
Do you know the song "Sometimes when we touch" by Dan Hill?
The lyrics really tells us a lot about touch.

And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides

I'm not suggesting you go and touch everyone you meet. It can really make some situations quite uncomfortable.
BUT!
When you see your friend who is looking dejected, why don't you go over and give them a pat on their back?
When you see your friend who is looking a little down, why don't you go over and give them a hug?
When you see your friend, no matter what they're doing, why don't you go over and give them a hug and tell them how much you appreciate then? =)

2. Asking the right questions
Sometimes when we ask the right questions, avenues just open up.
I believe through our questions, we actually give the other person a rough impression of our intention.

When I was a door-to-door salesperson last year, we always had to come up with like ice-breakers, or key questions to ask them so that they would actually be more willing to listen to you.
One of the best question that we often us was
"How do you want me to help you?"
It actually makes the other person listen, such that if we have a product made for them, they will actually listen to it, and benefit from it.

The same comes to when we're talking to people.
You know when you're talking to the other person, and how they like to give 1 word answers, which makes you feel frustrated?
It's time to challenge yourself to think of new questions!
Questions that challenges them to think, and probably encourages them to talk more, and share.

When you ask challenging questions, it challenges them to think!
Learn from Jesus!
He often answers questions with questions, and it forces the original person who asked the question to think about what he/she had just asked.

3. Painting a picture with words
Remember the game charades?
The one which we have to act out what we want people to guess?
Don't you agree that it can be kind of challenging, but when they describe to you, you can almost get it instantly?

Indeed, a picture is worth a thousand words, and when you paint a picture with your words, it also helps the other party to relate better. =)

Jesus did an excellent job when he spoke parables.
The sower, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son.
What better way to relate to the people of those times, a time of farmers and shepherds?
People who relate well to coins and sons.

That being said, we must always paint a picture which relates, and is relevant.

Last night at food feast, I was also trying to paint a picture with my words.
I was telling my friends about the food chee kweh, but none of my malaysian friends really knew.
As a result, I tried my best to describe it to my malaysian friends.
It was really hard, and none of them got what I was describing.
I found out why in the end.
I went to buy chee kweh and showed them, but still, they had no idea what it was.
Apparently, there is no such thing as chee kweh in malaysia...
I was like... O_O!!!

As you can see, if you paint a picture for the person, but if the person has no inkling of what the picture will be like, there is really no point.
For my friends who never seen chee kweh, or anything similar, they were never in position to get what I was trying to describe.

Paint the right picture!
Don't go and talk to a basketballer about Manchester United, or to a rocket scientist about Shakespeare.
You'll only be tiring yourself out.

When you paint the right picture, you have basically used x words to reach a 10x effect. =)

I believe that once we've put the above steps into practice, we'll be able to communicate more effectively and efficiently.

so...
What are you waiting for?
Practice to give a gentle touch, to ask the right questions, and to paint the picture with the next person you see, and improve communications with him or her. =)

Picture this...
A sunny day with a slight breeze...
On the balcony, reading a book and enjoying the nice weather...
With a cool drink in my hand...
Afterwards, watching the sunset and loving every moment of it...

That's a little piece of my heaven... =)
That's where I want to be. =)