Bad Connection

There is something wrong with my phone. 

Recently I was having a conversation on my phone and what I said was not what was heard.  For some reason, by the time my words reached the listener's ears, the words were all jumbled up and distorted, and the listener did not understand me at all. 

Maybe, I need a new phone because what I said was

• "You need to think about the consequences"
• But what was heard was - you never make right choices
• What I said was, "I don't like it when you push things to the end"
• But what was heard was - you are lazy and procrastinate
• What I said was "I don't think you should do this "
• But what was heard was - you disappoint

I hung up the phone and cried- I did not understand how my words, words meant for caution and admonition were heard as judgment and failure.  I was devastated, crushed and I ached to make things right.  How could this beautiful passionate person hear those kinds of words from me?  Is that what my actions communicate?  I do not think those things about this person- why would they think I do?  And then I realized, I was so preoccupied with wanting to cross something off of a 'to do' list that I wasn't listening to what was being heard until it was too late - and the conversation had already spun out of control.  How many times had I done that before?  Not listened, shoved my own agenda, spoken too harshly?  Obviously, too many times.

Oh God, help me to choose words that are full of grace and love - with no agenda than the other's best interest.  Teach me to use words to bless and to encourage; words that listen to the heart of the one to whom I am speaking.  Teach me to listen and speak only when needed.  Forgive me for not hearing the heart of the one you entrusted to me.

"A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered." - Proverbs 17:27 NLT