No fancy words needed to spread the good news!
"However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him—". 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power". 1 Corinthians 2: 4-5 (NIV)
I was devastated after I did my first professional analysis. The report showed many strong aspects, but when assessed on communication skills, it read: "We suggest that this person should not be in a management position overseeing people. She might find roles with minimal direct interaction a better fit".
Though the feedback was tough to hear, like many challenges I have encountered, it has ultimately helped me grow stronger and more resilient. After that report, I tried to read as much about communication as possible, took any course or seminar I could, and got a coach to help me, but I failed miserably. My initial pursuit of communication skills was based on a teacher we had who spoke the best Afrikaans you can imagine. Her words sounded clever, well thought out, and intellectual. You would always walk away thinking, wow, she is brilliant! I struggled with the idea of having “lofty words of eloquence". I found myself analyzing every word I spoke, often to the point of exhaustion. As a result, I often chose to remain silent, focusing on my work instead.
Thank God for church! One Sunday morning, a preacher spoke from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, and it changed everything for me. The message reminded me that when Paul shared the gospel, he did not rely on fancy words or persuasive arguments. Instead, he leaned entirely on God’s power, setting aside intellectual debates and eloquence. Paul’s sole focus was on Jesus Christ—His crucifixion, resurrection, and the transformative power of salvation. He came to the people in simplicity, relying on the Holy Spirit to work through him. That message set me free. It liberated me from worrying about how I sounded when speaking. I stopped fixating on whether I was eloquent or polished. Instead, I trusted that God would anoint my words and let His wisdom shine through, even in my weaknesses. I became comfortable opening my mouth and sharing my thoughts, trusting that God would make them resonate with those who needed to hear them.
Today, as a tentmaker, and a resource manager working with many people, God gave me a new zest in the form of communication. God uses my communication skills to convey love across cultures, ages, and genders. I am still amazed that anyone understands what I say. But I learned that showing love does not always need words. Praising God does not always mean using words. It's all about the attitude of the heart. You only need a little word to show the important stuff. "Thank you, Please, I'm sorry, I did not express that correctly. Let me rephrase that, please". It goes much further and has more impact than "lofty words of eloquence" or silence.
Challenge
Reflect on where you might be holding back in communicating with others, either because you feel inadequate or because you think you need to sound a certain way to be effective. Are you trying to live up to someone else’s idea of what “good communication” looks like?
Prayer
Thank you, God, for not needing eloquent words to share your love. Thank you for supplying us with the wisdom to connect with people at our work in ways that attract them to you.