Context

When it comes to understanding a message, context is absolutely vital.

What is context? Without getting technical, Context can basically be said to be the situation in which the message occurs. Saying, “I love you” means different things in the two following contexts:

1) Just got dared to say it to a random girl on the street.

2) Childhood friends who have gone through thick and thin together, sitting under a full moon on Valentine’s day with fireworks spreading across the sky in the distance. (Okay, exaggerated abit)

The words are the same, but the message meaning is of a completely different degree and type.

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Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about context lately, and about how we need context when we want to tell people things.

When we tell the truth, we also want people to be persuaded of it.. but they often are not, in spite of the truth value of our words. 

I find that this is normally because of context.

For example, when we tell people the truth that Jesus loves them, it doesn’t make sense unless we speak this truth in the context of love – like a loving, honest relationship. That is why we are not only told to speak the truth, but to do so in love (Ephesians 4:15)

God will ultimately be the one to make His love real to His children, but I am convinced that He wants us to help one another in this too. Probably because, to a being who is in very nature Love, it must be pleasing to God not only to have His creation love him, but for love to abound amongst His creation too.

But anyway, I am just musing.

We need to ask God to help us with our contexts. Let me tell you what He has done for me. 

I’ve often found that I need to be a comfort and assurance to people - - for anyone from my closest friends to near strangers. And you know what, there's no way you can comfort someone if you yourself are anxious. And there's no way you can be an assurance to anyone if you yourself are filled with doubt and fear.

That being said, I’ve nearly always found myself endowed with some sense of supernatural assurance that would naturally be beyond me. I am, by nature, an anxious person who over-thinks matters. Yet, when the need arises, I pray and God provides me with comfort so that I may in turn be a comfort to others.

This is an incredible, humbling experience for a nervous wreck like me - so much that I often go home after such conversations with great peace like a river in my heart. With God’s help, a context of assurance and comfort can be created, and hopefully, the message gets across a little.

After all, (and I’m telling myself this) what shall we worry about? If God is for us, who can be against us? I draw no assurance from the things of the world, but stand on the promises of God only. 

And if I should be so caught up in things that I forget this, I know for sure He’ll send me those dear friends and angels to give the same timely reminder of His love, wrapped in their own context of love. 

Now isn't that great :)