“Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” – 2 John 1:12
It would seem the Apostle John recognized the limits of written communications. As convenient and useful as letters, emails, and texts can be they can’t replace face to face conversations on matters of deep importance. Written communications can be great for clarifying matters, coordinating activities, and providing a quick word of encouragement. However, they’re terrible for communicating the deeper things of life – whether good or bad.
With written communication, we can’t feel emotions, we can’t see facial expressions and body language, we can’t hear tone of voice. We lose many of the most important elements of communication and it’s easy to start assuming the worst of one another. Face to face conversations remind us that the other person is also a human being. That he or she was lovingly crafted in the image of God. That even when there’s some disagreement, if both are believers, you’re still siblings in Christ loved by God. This makes it easier to discuss hard issues, more likely to resolve simmering conflicts, and more joyful to share good news.
Don’t let the perceived short-term convenience of written communication result in long-term relational damage. Don’t neglect meeting together. That’s particularly true once there’s the slightest hint of conflict. Don’t ever use written means to work through hard issues if that can be avoided. Talk face to face that your joy may be complete!