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The Daily Signal
Want to
Communicate Well? Talk Like Jesus
Beverly Hallberg
April 17, 2017
It’s been more than a decade since the popular “What Would Jesus Do”
(WWJD) bracelets made their way onto the wrists of every youth group
kid across America, but in an age of political division, the
advancement of a secular society, and attacks on free speech, I think
it’s time to revisit what this sentiment means and how we can apply it
to our policy-based talking points.
Think: WWJD in a media interview? WWJD at town halls or political
rallies? WWJD on social media?
Here are three lessons we can learn from the greatest communicator of
all (sorry Ronald Reagan fans, but Jesus wins) and how they translate
to current events.
Resist the Echo Chamber
Jesus didn’t speak to only one demographic. He spoke to men and women,
young and old, rich and poor, believers and unbelievers. He was an
equal opportunist, which was rare and rarely popular. Even his
disciples rebuked him for speaking to children.
But Jesus was not deterred by the unpopular. In fact, he often spoke to
skeptics. The first time we hear from Jesus is when he engages
religious leaders in the temple—at the age of 12.
No doubt many people raised an eyebrow or two, but Jesus used it as an
opportunity to “be about his father’s business.” He had a message to
spread and he was going to spread it.
So, what can we learn and apply?
Even when we’re met with a less-than-receptive audience, it doesn’t
mean we back down and shy away. Instead, speak up!
Jesus engaged the skeptics, and we should do the same. Accept that
interview on an unfriendly cable news show, or kindly share your
opinion via social media and welcome the opposition, or wade into the
hostile town hall.
It’s comfortable and safe in the echo chamber, but you won’t change
hearts and minds there.
Tell Stories
What you say and how you say it matters, which is why storytelling
works. As President Teddy Roosevelt noted, “People don’t care how much
you know until they know how much you care.”
Show you care about and want to help people by talking about … people.
Jesus was brilliant, but he didn’t destroy skeptics or critics with his
words. Instead, he often communicated through stories or, as the Bible
calls them, parables.
But why are stories so powerful? A story is sticky. It’s relatable,
easy to remember, and communicates your message by engaging the heart
and mind.
There’s a reason Jesus stuck to agricultural references—about weeds,
sowing, wheat, harvest, fishing, weather, etc. He was trying to win
over a culture who worked with their hands to grow crops and fish for
food on the Sea of Galilee.
We can talk all day about the importance of religious liberty in this
country, but it doesn’t become real until we mention the 70-year-old
grandmother who may lose her business because she’s operating it
through the lens of her faith.
Or the family business that may have to close and leave its employees
jobless because of “religious literature concerning marriage
[displayed] on a breakroom table.”
Tell stories—in media interviews, on social media, or from the stage at
a town hall. It refocuses the issue on people instead of policy, and
that’s powerful.
Keep Your Cool
Morton Blackwell, the president of the Leadership Institute, has a list
of dos and don’ts in what he calls “The Laws of Public Policy Process.”
One of my favorites is “Don’t get mad, except on purpose.”
Jesus exhibited righteous anger in the Bible, but it was always
purposeful. The most memorable example is when he overturned the
moneychanger’s table in the Temple.
But the Bible isn’t filled with examples of Jesus preaching fire and
brimstone. Instead, a more common description is “humble servant,” and
we’d greatly benefit from applying this discipline in our own lives.
Any conversation with those who disagree with us, whether in person or
on a screen, is often thought of as a battle of wits. While a healthy
debate with solid talking points is necessary, remember that you aren’t
trying to win an argument—you are trying to have a conversation about
an important policy issue.
You can’t assume you’ll persuade someone to agree with you after one
exchange. But if you remain calm and reasonable, you’ll start to build
trust and create space to ask harder questions next time.
While there may be an opportunity to rightly raise your voice and shout
it out, it’s rare. Remember that a humble but confident demeanor wins
more people to your side.
Jesus is the greatest communicator of all time. If we’re going to seek
to win people to our cause, we have to do as Jesus did—speak the truth
in a humble, understandable, and relatable way, and keep our emotions
in check.
Read this and other articles at The Daily Signal
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