Miscommunication

Miscommunication 

II Kings 5:5-7 NKJV

[5] Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. [6] Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. [7] And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”

So Naaman told the story of the Israeli slave girl to his boss, the King of Syria. His reaction was immediate. He wanted Naaman well, but he forgot that he was writing to a King in a different setting and culture. Anytime we forget  people's settings, we tend to be misunderstood in our attempt to convey knowledge or information. That is failure to communicate clearly. 

   Mona Chung in 2011 made an attempt to discuss doing business in China. He described  how this matters of miscommunication can affect international relations.  " Miscommunication refers to the exchange of information that is not effectively understood or interpreted due to differences in perception and cultural background between the sender and the receiver. It often occurs when there is a lack of awareness or understanding of these differences, leading to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns". Think about Syria and Israel. The two nations had periods of open warfare and some periods of peace.

   Imagine a letter from Syria asking the King of Israel to make sure Naaman was well. The King of Israel considered it a provocation for war. The matter would have been intense, but the information got to Elisha. May you be the source to correct  miscommunications. May God cause your requests to be properly understood. May God keep someone with divine answers waiting for your needs in Jesus Name. Later we will explore how God met Naaman in Israel and how he got his healing, because of one slave girl. Good morning.