Just The Facts

Just the Facts

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

Proverbs 15:23

YESTERDAY WE LOOKED at the first and least meaningful level of communication: Hallway Talk. Today we take a step up the communication ladder to Reporter Talk. This communication involves only the facts: who, what, when, where, and how.

For example, imagine that Emma says to her husband, Rich, “I talked with Grace this morning, and she told me that Michael has been sick for six days. The doctor is recommending that he go to the hospital on Friday for tests.” Her husband responds, “Hmmm.” Then he asks, “Did Jimmy find the dog?” “Yes,” Emma answers. “One of the neighbors had him locked up in his backyard. Jimmy heard him barking this afternoon and rescued him.” The husband nods, walks out the door, and begins to mow the grass.

On this level of communication, we are simply sharing information. There’s no expression of feelings or opinions. Some couples limit almost all of their communication to this level and think that they have really good communication. It’s true that lots of words may be exchanged. But in reality, there is little intimacy built by Reporter Talk, because we’re sharing nothing of ourselves. What a contrast to the “fitting reply” Solomon mentioned in Proverbs 15:23. Our goal should be to engage deeply with each other.

Lord, it’s important for us to know the details of each other’s lives. But too often we get stuck in the facts and don’t go any deeper. Please help me to be ready to enter into my spouse’s thoughts and feelings.

Communication