SESSION OBJECTIVE:

Leader’s Instruction: Draw a big triangle inside the box below. Draw a small circle at the top of the triangle, a star at the center and a small square at each side.

Compare their drawings and ponder on why there are differences despite the same instructions.

THE WORD

Discover the blockades in interpersonal communication in the given passages and write them on the blanks.

1. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” —Genesis 3:9-12

Nega ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conversation always implies a relationship between two or more persons. The quality of the conversation depends on the kind of relationship that exists between the two.” —Bruce Larson

“…when the relationship is unified and harmonious, we can almost communicate without words. Where there is high trust and good feeling, we don’t have to ‘watch our words’ at all. We can smile or not and still communicate meaning and achieve understanding. When the relationship is not well established, a chapter of words won’t be sufficient to communicate meaning because meanings are not found in words—they are found in people.” —Stephen Covey

When there is no EMOTIONAL CLEARANCE or spirit of goodwill between parties, both come to talk with their defenses in place. There is high doubt and distrust and words can become manipulative, abusive and exaggerated. And at the end more harm is done than good.

2. “Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.” — Exodus 6:9

In ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because the Israelites were so wrapped up in their pain, they totally missed the words of deliverance from Moses. When listening, be sure that you are putting your attention not to yourself but to the person talking. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Look at the matter from his vantage point, and hear him as he wants to be heard and not how you want to hear him.

“The root cause of almost all people problems is the basic communication problem-people do not listen with empathy. They listen from within their autobiography.” – Stephen Covey

3. “Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, ‘Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.” —Genesis 18: 12-15

L _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When there is no TRUTHFULNESS, communication breaks down. Why communicate when you only expect lies and nothing more? Lying not only misleads people, it creates mistrust and eventually destroys relationships.

4. “And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, ‘Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants nowadays that break away every man from his master. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?’ ” — I Samuel 25:10-11

D _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nabal, surely, did not want to stir that deadly rage in David, but he definitely did. He could have just simply said “No” to the soldiers of David who were asking for some goods, but he berated him instead. This almost led to the massacre of his entire household. Many conflicts and pain could have been avoided if communication is rendered calmly and with respect.

THE LIFE

In the areas of communication taken up in this module, what are your strong and weak points? Share it to the group.

____________________________ Emotional Intelligence                              ____________________________ Truthfulness

____________________________ Listening                                                      ____________________________ Kindness/Respect

Write a clear course of action to improve the weaknesses that you have identified in your manner of communication.

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THROUGH SONG

If Any Little Word of Mine

If any little word of mine
May make a dark life brighter,
If any little song of mine
May make a sad heart lighter

Refrain:
God help me speak the helping word,
And sweeten it with singing,
And drop it in some lonely vale,
To set the echoes ringing

If any little lift of mine
May ease a toiler bending
God give me love and care and strength;
We live for Him by lending.

THROUGH PRAYER

Pray for your group members to be able to practice the principles of good communication and be effective communicators of the gospel.