Reading the moment

Have you ever said the wrong thing at the wrong time? Maybe you actually said the right thing, but at the wrong time. Either way, the 'thing' you said was not taken well, or it was completely ignored. Why? The 'wisdom' it takes to say only what needs to be said, in the right timing is an 'art'. It might not come easily to some, but it can be learned at the feet of Jesus. We just need to spend enough time with him to see how what he notices, when he chooses to speak, and the words he chooses when he speaks.

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (Proverbs 15:23)

While I am not an expert on this subject by any means, I have learned there are just times when someone will not hear what you are saying no matter how many different ways you attempt to say it. The heart just isn't in 'receiver' mode. They aren't open to hearing, so even if the timing might be right and the word you bring is pretty spot on, if the heart is blocking the message all the brain hears is 'Wah, Wa, Wa, Wah, Wa, Wa'. 

It takes two to communicate. This might be the hardest lesson for us to learn because we sometimes think just speaking is enough. If the one being spoken to isn't willing to hear, or the heart isn't ready to receive, the communication is one-way. I am sure we have all been there - someone is trying to tell us how we should do something, but we are not focused, our intent is not to learn the stuff, or our mind is made up that the things being said just don't apply to this circumstance.

A fitting reply is both the right word coupled with the right timing. Learning to read the moment is important, but it may not come as naturally as we'd like. We might be ready to speak but the one who needs to hear us is far from prepared. The moment matters as much as the openness of heart. When we get the moment wrong, the heart is rarely prepared to respond to what is being said. We would all do well to seek God's help in both 'reading the moment' and preparing the words we will bring forth when the heart is ready to hear. Just sayin!