Conveying The Message
It's Saturday morning, the children are watching TV, their rooms are a mess, and
mother needs their help in getting things cleaned up. The problem? How to convey
that message and, hopefully, not incite a riot.
Mom has an idea. She begins by setting an example: doing what she wants them to
do in hopes that her example will be followed. No luck.
Another approach is taken. This time mother makes a necessary inference: She
says, "Children that don't help with cleaning up their rooms don't get to go
outside and play. You children are not helping to clean up your rooms..." The
kids just change positions on the couch.
But mom doesn't give up. She makes a simple statement: "Your rooms need to be
cleaned up and I need you to help me." You'd think the kids were deaf.
Finally, in a tone of voice that can no longer be ignored, mom issues a command:
"Get up from that couch, turn off the TV, and help me clean up your rooms."
Success at last.
Example, necessary implication, statement, and command. What other forms of
communication could this mother have used in order to cause these children to
understand what she wanted them to do. What other forms of communication are
available to all of us as we seek to cause others to understand what we want
them to know and do? "Getting the point across" means we must set examples, make
implications or statements, or give "orders."
A man is reading his Bible, wanting to know what God's will is. His desire is to
know what kind of conduct meets with God's approval. But how is this man to know
what God wants done and how he wants it accomplished?
As he reads the life of Christ and notices His teaching methods, he soon
realizes that Jesus communicated His will to others in various ways. When He
wanted to each about humility He set an example of one way in which it could be
demonstrated (Jo. 13:15). He used necessary inference when teaching important
truths about Himself (Matt. 22:41-46). When talking about entering the kingdom
of God the Lord made a simple statement (Jo. 3:3-5) and, when giving the Great
Commission to the apostles, He gave commands (Matt. 28:18).
This man also sees this same teaching method in the epistles. Inspired men urged
the following of examples (Acts 20:35; Phil. 3:17); taught by necessary
inference about the priesthood of Christ (Heb. 7:11-17); made statements about
what baptism does for us (Gal. 3:27); and gave commands regarding disciplinary
action (2 Thess. 3:6).
Examples, necessary inferences, statements and commands: God communicates His
will to us in the same way we communicate ours to others. Thus, understanding
God's will and establishing authority for all of what we do (Col. 3:17) should
pose no problem to the man truly desiring to know and do the Father's will.
