Over and Over Again

Years ago I heard a simple technique from Dr. Dobson, the founder of the world famous Focus on the Family. When instructing children, get them to repeat back to you, what you just told them, to make sure they got the message. Over the years, when my children were younger, I practiced this technique from time to time, often with hilarious results. The things they would say back to me, only seconds later, would often be a vastly convoluted mix mash, of often something, that didn't even sound vaguely familiar to what I had just told them. It was often apparent that they were just waiting for the sound of my voice to cease, so that they could go on about their day, with no conscious reception of what I had been trying to communicate.

Jesus repeatedly said the same thing over and over again, to get spiritual revelation into His disciples.

Matthew 17:20, "...for verily; (emphatically; truly; amen; this is an established fact) I am saying to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to this place', and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you"

Matthew 21:21, "Verily (emphatically; truly; amen; this is an established fact) I say to you, If you have faith, and doubt not, you shall not only do this to the fig tree, but also, if you shall say to this mountain, 'You, be removed, and you be cast into the sea', it shall be done, and all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive"

Luke 17:6, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, 'You, be plucked up by the root, and you be planted in the sea'; and it will obey you"

Every single example, from the scriptures above, were from different circumstances; different questions, and yet the teaching principle was exactly the same, repeated over and over again, to communicate and impart spiritual life and reality, into the disciples.

First Time

The first time Jesus went to Nazareth "...where He had been brought up.." (Lk.4:16) [Lk.4:16 - 30], they "...rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might cast Him down head first..." (Lk.4:29), "...but He, passing through the midst of them, went His way, and came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days" (Lk.4:30-31).

Notice that He was still in the area, but about 20 miles (less than 40 km) away, and He "...TAUGHT them on the sabbath days" (Lk.4:31). It wasn't just one sabbath day, but He taught them on "sabbath days" (plural). He was less than 40 km away, and in that region, and He taught them multiple times, to the point, that there was a manifestation of a demon, and Jesus cast the demon out of the man, and the result was that "...the fame of Him went out into every place of the country round about" (Lk.4:37).

Second Time

The second time Jesus went to "...His own country..." (Mk.6:1), they didn't try to kill Him, because His fame had already "...went out into every place of the country round about" (Lk.4:37), but "...He could there do no mighty work, except that He laid His hands upon a few sick folks [ailing people, suffering with minor diseases (Wms)], and healed them, and He marveled because of their unbelief, and He went round about [went in a circuit (ABUV); made a circle of (Wms)] the villages, TEACHING" (Mk.6:5-6).

Third Time

In the third recorded instance when Jesus returned to Nazareth, "...when He was come into His own country, He taught them..." (Matt.13:54) "...and they were offended in Him..." (Matt.13:57) and "...He did not many mighty works there [ He performed but few mighty deeds there (Wey); He did not do many wonder-works there (Wms)] because of their unbelief" (Matt.13:58).

Each time Jesus went to His hometown, the results increased. The first time they tried to kill Him; the second time He healed a few people with minor diseases; and the third time, He performed a few mighty deeds, but not many. The point is, He kept teaching; He kept saying the same thing, over and over again, until people got it, and even when they didn't totally get it, (like those in His hometown of Nazareth), He still kept saying the same thing.

Here are a couple basic principles that I have learned (and truthfully, am still learning), in any aspect of relationship, where communication is essential:

1) Keep saying it. Repetition is essential to get the message across. If it's important, then don't stop trying.

2) Keep saying it different. Say it as many ways as you possibly can, whether face to face; email; text; or any type of medium that people are engaged in. Say it, and say it again; in a different way.

3) Get feedback. However this may be, whether verbal; email; text; messenger; or whatever the method, the only way you have a good idea as to whether your message is getting out or not, is through feedback.

Communication is not complete until the vision; ideas; passion; and thoughts, that you have on the inside of you, are totally understood, in the heart and mind of your audience; whether an individual or a larger group of people.

If Jesus had to constantly repeat His message, over and over again, saying it using different illustrations, and under different circumstances, then I think we need to also make the same type of determined effort to communicate what is valuable and important to us.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours