On Communication and Trust

On Trust and Communication

My wife forwarded me an e-mail that appealed to the wordsmith in me. It defined a “paraprosdokian” as a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anticlimax... For example,

• I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
• Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
• I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
• Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
• If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
• Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
• The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the
• Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
• Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "If an emergency, notify:" I put "DOCTOR".


So you can imagine my amusement when I got a brochure for a youth conference that is coming up in the spring. The event planners intended to advertise a special rate for the spouse of the youth minister at a church. They also hoped that the youth minister would round up a group of youth workers to attend, but wanted to say that only one person per church could register using the special spouse rate. However, what was printed was

Spouse (max 1) $59.00

Communication seems to be a bit out of sync, doesnt’ it? We have been talking about trust for a month or so now. I appreciate the kind comments about last Sunday’s message. This Sunday we talk about trust in our family, or more specifically, “Trusting God with Our Family” and upon reflection, I have to admit that good communication is a big part of it. As a dad, if my tone is harsh, my words are often lost. If my words are unclear, my meaning is often lost. If I remain silent, my family members are left wondering what I am thinking.
Our words, our meaning, and our intention is so much a part of trust. God’s words to us are as much a part. I am humbled by the simple trust of a father (Abraham) as he completely gave his son over to God’s purposes, not knowing the outcome. As the son (Isaac) watched his dad, the trust was apparently passed down as he showed no apprehension as to what was going on that day on Mount Moriah.
Let’s imagine the implications of such communicated trust–in our personal worship, in our families, and in our church. Let's talk about it.