Total communication

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 I sign. I am okay at it, but I am fortunate to be able to worship in sign language. I'm not David, and I'm not much of a dancer, so I don't dance before God as several verses admonish. One of my favorite verses about dancing before God is Psalm 30:11-12, but when I sign, as I worship, my hands are dancing. 

11 You turned my mourning into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

Signing got me thinking about body language.  As a former public school teacher, I have mastered the "look" that can make people squirm in their seats, and as a signer I know the difference that posture and facial expressions can make to your language. Over ninety percent of our communication is non-verbal. It includes:

  • Facial expressions: The face can convey a wide range of emotions. In signing, it can totally flip the meaning of your sign.
  • Posture and movement: The way you stand, sit, or move can indicate confidence, interest, or disinterest. When I coached Academic Decathlon, we taught power steps and physical sign posting. 
  • Gestures: Hand and arm movements add emphasis to what is being said, but they can also distract. They need to be appropriate and varied.
  • Eye contact: The amount and type of eye contact can signal attentiveness, confidence, or discomfort. In coaching kids about interviews and speeches, we made a concerted effort to get the kids to make eye contact.
  • Touch: The use of touch, such as a pat on the arm, can convey a variety of meanings depending on the context. I know the power of a pat on a kid's back, to encourage and/or to soothe. Another example of touch was training kids to give appropriate handshakes, not too hard and not too soft, depending upon the recipient
  • Use of space: The physical distance between people is a form of nonverbal communication. We use to coach students to slowly approach their listeners to close the psychological distance.
  • Tone of voice: While not purely physical movement, the tone, volume, and pitch of your voice are considered part of nonverbal communication. For instance, a higher, rapid voice can indicate enthusiasm, whereas the same words spoken in a low, deliberate cadence can indicate disinterest
There are several benefits to understanding body language
  • It improves communication: Reading body language helps you interpret others' true feelings and intentions, which can prevent misunderstandings.
  • It enhances your own communication: Being aware of your own body language allows you to present yourself more effectively and ensures your nonverbal signals align with your verbal message.
  • It builds relationships: Understanding and using body language can lead to stronger personal and professional connections.
  • It boosts confidence: Positive body language, such as good posture, can actually affect your own feelings and physiology. 
We can take it a step further and look at the 5 C's of body language, context, clusters, congruence, consistency, and culture.

Congruence means does the body language match the message? Talking about love with both hands across your chest definitely sends a mixed message. Context determines if your body language is appropriate. Clusters mean more than one in this case, a group of non-verbal signals. Consistency is something I understand from signing; the signs you use, have to be consistent to increase understanding. Finally, there is cultural, dancing in the aisles of a conservative church would be frowned upon and not culturally appropriate

So then, I started thinking about prayer. Being a Christian is supposed to be about relationships. 
This means there needs to be communication, and it needs to be two-way communication, but my 
experience with ASL and teaching took me further, and I started thinking about total communication.
The total communication approach is an inclusive method of communication that uses any
method of communication, such as verbal speech, sign language, gestures, facial expressions, and augmentative and alternative communication devices. Its goal is to help individuals communicate as effectively as possible by building a communication system around their individual strengths and needs.

Not only do we need to be totally communicating with God, but we need to be aware of how He is totally communicating with us based on our individual strengths and needs. In the Bible, God communicates through many means, including an audible voice and supernatural phenomena like signs, wonders, dreams, and visions. God also communicates through His written word (the Bible), the Holy Spirit's inner guidance, angelic messengers, prophets, and nature.

Some examples of how God communicates are:
  • Audible voice: God spoke directly to individuals like Adam, Abraham, and Moses from a burning bush. In 1 Kings 19:12, this was described as a "gentle whisper".
  • Dreams and visions: God delivered messages through dreams to people like Joseph and Daniel, and used visions like the one in Acts 9 to speak to Saul.
  • Messengers: Angels served as messengers, delivering direct messages from God, such as the angel informing Mary of her pregnancy with Jesus. There are also prophets and teachers who help us hear His voice.
  • Signs and wonders: God uses powerful signs, such as speaking through a thick cloud (Exodus 19:9) and a burning bush, to demonstrate His power. 
Now, most of us have not heard God's audible voice, but we all have heard Him through His word or through His people. Some of us are skilled at seeing God in nature or hearing Him in our dreams and visions, and I believe many of us hear the still small voice that is the Holy Spirit speaking God's truth to our hearts.

So if it's not an audible word, how do we know we are hearing God? 
Go back to the C's context, clusters, congruence, consistency, and culture as a starting point.
Is what you are hearing appropriate to the context?
Are you hearing the same thing several different times and/or ways? If God is repeating Himself, pay attention.
Is what you are hearing, seeing or feeling consistent with His Word, with God's character?What is its intention? Messages from God are often described as gentle and loving, not involving shame, pressure, or condemnation. 

Most importantly, remember that God is a God of total communication, all the time. God is ALWAYS communicating with us in some way. So how do we hear Him?

  • We pray and ask: ask God to speak to you clearly, and ask for wisdom to hear Him.
  • We find stillness: Find a quiet place to spend time with God each day, quieting your surroundings and your internal chatter.
  • We listen for the "still, small voice": Be attentive to intuitive thoughts and insights that may come during times of prayer and reflection.
  • We write it down: Writing down what you sense can help you process and discern God's voice more clearly.
  • We practice obedience: Be willing to take steps of faith and immediate obedience when you believe God is speaking to you.

  • We worship with others: Gathering and worshiping with a faith community can help you hear God's voice more clearly.
  • We explore various spiritual practices such as fasting, meditation, and spiritual empathy.
  • W remove blockages: Seek to remove spiritual blockages like unconfessed sin or unforgiveness that may hinder your ability to
Are you listening? Do you hear what I hear?


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