One of the many challenge’s nurses face, including myself, is how to communicate effectively.  I must confess that this has not been easy, whether it is at the workplace, in my personal life or even within NCF.  Especially in situations where the other person appears difficult, unfriendly or there are differences in opinions.  Recently, at my workplace, I almost had a bad dialogue session with a colleague whom during the conversation said that I was defensive.  I reflected and asked myself, “How did I appear defensive?”   Thank God, He can teach us His ways.  Nowadays with the use of emoji in handphone devices, the challenge to say how we feel, or think has been made easier.  Maybe we are relying too much on emojis instead of learning to communicate with pleasant words.   When God communicated, He sent His Son, the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us [John 1:1, 14].  In the past, it was through prophets but sending Jesus was the ultimate in revealing His heart [Hebrews 1:1-4].

Thomas Kempis (1380-1471), a follower of Christ who lived in a dark time, regarded meditation on the life of Christ of highest importance.  Like Kempis, I have started reading the Gospel of John to glean ways Christ communicates in different situations and with different people.  For example, He communicated very differently with Nicodemus from the Samaritan woman.  With Nicodemus, He used words and concepts that Nicodemus, a learned religious man, could dialogue with.    Words like “you must be born again”.  With the Samaritan woman, he communicated in such a way as to not display any defensiveness nor being apologetic about being a Jew and what Jews believe. Instead, Jesus communicated in such a way as to make her curious for the living water and used affirmative ways to say “you have well said, ‘I have no husband’ ”[John 4:13, 17]   Wow, it would have been difficult for most of us to say to a stranger something about his or her controversial personal life.   I am appreciating this chapter again though it has been used to teach mainly on personal evangelism.

We need to learn to re-script our words with people and I believe it must be intentional and with practice.  As you read the Gospel, focus your meditation by looking for any aspect of Christ’s life, and then brainstorm a way, even a small way, to apply his example in your own life.  There may be challenges at home or workplace, and you may want to ask God to show you by looking at the Gospel on how Jesus communicated with others.  Journal it down and add as the Lord shows you or teach you something.  These mediations can become raw materials to teach Biblical truth in different settings whether in nursing or personal life.  Let us learn together how to communicate like Christ.