A reason one might not hear someone is that they didn’t say anything. These days, greeting children as they walk to school usually doesn’t even get a smile or a nod in response to our cheerful “Good morning.” Nothing. Okay maybe they have been instructed for safety sake to not talk to strangers, but even teenagers? We are an unwanted intrusion into their space.

Everyone with a phone is hammered with all sorts of unsolicited texts, emails, and phone calls. Yes, and there is a special word created for that. Has all of that hardened normal person-to-person communication? Likely, at a minimum it has had some affect. 

With all of the communication noise today, it is vitally important to not let that deaden us to heart-felt sharing with those we love. First of course is dedicated prayer time with our God first thing every morning no distractions, quiet and purposeful. Next, is communication with our beloved wives, our soul mates whom we have vowed to love and cherish. Do you have a date-night and other times of quality heart-to-heart dialog? Then also communication with our children. Life is crazy busy and unless our children are in trouble, they might not get good talking time with their dad. I had weekly one-on-one talking time with each child as they were growing up in our home. I loved that time, and it was so good. 

Communication is costly in time, but it is so vitally important for any relationship that is valuable to you to maintain. It isn’t just “gonna happen.” It takes being purposeful. I plead with you my brothers — make it happen. 

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).