Devotionals

Thats Not What I Meant

by Jane H. Young 
07/15/22
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That’s Not What I Meant       Jane H. Young

So many misunderstandings happen because the people having the conservation are not on the same page, not on the same train of thought so to speak. 

A grandmother was having coffee with her granddaughter. She ask the granddaughter if she had a newspaper. “Oh no”, said the granddaughter “we use the iPad these days”. That fly never knew what hit him!

Obviously what the grandmother wanted the newspaper for, and what the granddaughter thought she wanted was two completely different things. Now that misunderstanding could have been really costly, resulting in a broken iPad.

How many years of strife come from such misunderstandings. We meant and said what was on our mind but the person hearing it only heard what they wanted to hear. Hence a major misunderstanding or possible problem in the making. 

Farmer Evans was driving his  tractor along the road with a trailer load of fertilizer. A little boy of eight was playing in his yard when he saw the farmer and asked, 'What've you got in your trailer?''Manure,' the Farmer replied.'What are you going to do with it?' asked the boy. 'Putting it on my strawberries,' answered the farmer.The boy replied, 'You ought to come and eat with us, we put ice-cream on our strawberries.' 

Another example of not understanding what the person you are speaking with means. It was innocent and quick response of the little boy. I mean after all who wants Manure on their strawberries.

We need to really listen when someone ask us a question or is speaking to us. So many hurts could be avoided, sometimes even years of strife over something that was never said, all because we heard only what we wanted to hear and not actually what was said.

Same is true when we read Gods word.  We need to pray before we read and make sure what God means is what we see and understand, not a preconceived idea of what we think God is saying.

“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.”John 8:43 NASB1995

Jane has a heart for serving God and making a difference in the lives of others.