Good
/ɡʊd/
Questions that cannot be answered.
Evil
/ˈiːv(ə)l/
Answers that cannot be questioned.
– Osasu Oviawe
Day: April 18, 2020
Just talk
Written communication is a poor means of one-on-one communication, especially during a disagreement. Whether it is emails, letter, chats, direct messages or the likes, if you have a disagreement with an individual, it is best to first explore verbal communication.
Written communication is a record and not all that is said during a disagreement is the truth.
Contrary to popular belief, people do not say what they feel during a quarrel, they say what they know will hurt the other party. In quarrels, the amygdala takes over and there is a fight, flight or freeze mindset. Quarrels are actually treated in the brain like all out fights, and where 2 people are fighting, they explore the weaknesses of their adversaries. Even when that adversary is someone they love.
Contrary to popular belief, people actually say what they feel in a joke. It is the safest vehicle for delivering the truth and people use it.
If you seek truth, look to jokes, not quarrels.
Back to written communication, what I have found is that in the heat of a disagreement, it is best to stop written communication and have a face-to-face or place a call. If both are impossible, silence is best.
The thing with records is that long after the strife is gone, the record remains and becomes a recurring source of pain. A pain that is no longer intended.
I have suffered a lot of pain from things I have written in the past, during heated disagreements. The things said were to my mind – the truth, but they were also an unfair exploration of the weaknesses in my partners or teammates. Like in most things, I have learnt the hard way.
The kind thing to do when you disagree with someone, is to talk to them about it.
The kind thing to do when you are pleased with someone, is to talk to them and write about it.
Records serve as the seeds to the fruits you want to harvest tomorrow. Plant joy.
– Osasu Oviawe
The Word prevails
Acts 4:13-21
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man that had been healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all men praised God for what had happened.
Homily:
Only the uninitiated will assume you can shut Peter up. Even before the filling with the Holy Spirit, Peter was not one to be shut up.
Only the unwise will assume that you can stop the Word from coming out of one that is filled with the Spirit. The outpouring of the spirit comes out as an indisputable Word and walk.
Only the naïve will go against the people of God. There is enough documented history to instruct humans about the painful end awaiting such a path.
The Word prevails.