“Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.”
– Proverbs 27:14
This is definitely true and also kind of humorous to think about. Many of us have known (or been) the person who was inveterately, loudly cheerful far earlier in the day than is generally appreciated. However, there is a deeper point about timing and tone in communication that is well worth considering.
Sometimes in our haste to give a good word, encouragement, or bit of advice we do it in a way that is poorly timed, poorly phrased, or poorly received. Our blessing gets counted as a curse. It’s always worth taking a moment, before sharing a good word, to prayerfully consider our timing and tone. Is it a good time for the person you wish to speak to to hear this message? Are they able to focus? Are they so busy or stressed about other things that even a blessing may come across as “yet another thing”? Be thoughtful and sensitive to someone’s situation before speaking.
Then consider whether your tone of blessing and encouragement will be clear when you communicate? This is particularly tricky when communicating electronically via text or email. When people can’t see your face or hear your voice there are no non-verbal cues to help them understand your heart in speaking. Effective communication largely depends on those non-verbal cues. In their absence, electronic blessings can easily be mis-interpreted, even if you’re careful in how you write them. A never forget the horrors of auto-correct! Always read twice before sending once.
Bless people with your words, but be thoughtful about how you deliver your blessing so it’s received as a blessing! #FollowJesus