Have you ever asked or heard these questions before? “Do you understand?”, “Do you understand what I am saying to you?”, or “Do you understand what you have just read?” Why do you think understanding is important?
Well, the skill of understanding others helps us predict what people might feel in a certain situation, but it also allows us to make sense of how people react. You see, my friends, understanding is a powerful tool.
Different people hear and understand in different ways. A major part of the miscommunication that occurs in our lives and businesses is in assuming the way we speak is enough to create understanding in everyone. The truth is that different people often speak different languages, even when they are all “speaking English.” If you do not take the time to learn how other people understand (their “language”), you have not taken responsibility for the communication.
Nelson Mandela once said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
We all see reality in different ways based on our upbringing, our goals, our personalities, and what is important to us. It is a mistake to assume that everyone else sees and understands reality as you do. Therefore, to effectively communicate, you must learn to understand others’ perceptions. That is how they see, hear, and interpret things.
Anthony Robbins also states, “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”
One of our deep needs is simply to be able to understand what is going on around us. If we understand the world around us, then we have a far greater chance of controlling it. Even if we cannot control it, we can make informed choices about what we might do next. When we lack understanding, we feel the extreme discomfort of confusion which motivates us to gain understanding.
If you find you have issues understanding those around you, slow down and try to truly understand: Where they are coming from, what they are going through, what is their motivation for doing something, and what they need or want from you.
It is important to have knowledge and it is equally important to have understanding. Knowledge and understanding must go hand in hand. Knowledge and understanding, after all, are the buffet of life. True knowledge can make you grow to the point where you get tired of thinking inside the parameters placed upon yourself by others. The base of our knowledge about life stems from our being raised in an environment. We see things a certain way until we are exposed to another way of looking at things.
The Bible also highlights the importance of understanding.” It states, understanding belongs to God and it is a gift from God. Proverbs 2:6 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. The Bible also instructs us about getting wisdom and understanding. Proverbs 4:5 states, “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.” It further states in verse 7 “Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Psalm 119:34 also states, “Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.”
The Bible also claims that human understanding is limited. Proverbs 3:5 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
It is not only important for us to understand people and each other – it is also equally important for us to learn and understand who the God of the Bible is as well. It is important for you to recognize what He wants from you, so that you can respond to Him. Jesus’ disciples experienced difficulties understanding who He was and the things He was sharing with them. They lacked understanding as we do at times. Jesus wanted His disciples to understand His teachings so that they could be fruitful. He wants the same for us today.
Jesus usually took time out to speak to His disciples and one of the questions He asked them was: “Do you understand all of this?” Jesus did not ask them if what He said was clear. He asked them if His teachings had sunk down deep inside them so that they could bear fruit. He wanted to make sure they understood what He was saying to them. It was important to Him that they understood.
Jesus had given them 7 parables in Matthew 13. He talked to them about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, how it grows, how it advances, what it is worth and its value. He wanted them not only to hear Him but to understand what He was saying to them. You see, my friends, to understand something or someone is powerful. Jesus knew the danger of a lack of understanding. He knew the evil one would come and snatch it away. He says, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.”
His concern was that His teaching – the “Seed” – if His disciples understood it, would bear fruit. In the same way, if we, when we read or hear his word, we will also bear fruit or if we do not understand, the devil will snatch it away from us. His words will fall on barren land.
You see, my friends, understanding is more than just knowing the facts. It will help us to move forward. We have a far greater chance. We will be able to make informed choices about what we might do next in our personal lives and in moving our country forward.
God wants to empower us not only through the hearing of His Word but also to empower us in understanding each other and what is happening around us. If we understand the world around us, then we have a far greater chance of controlling it. Even if we cannot control it, we can make informed choices about what we might do next.
Remember: You do not need to understand people to love them, but you need to understand them to build a lasting relationship. Without proper and clear communication, no relationship, organization, country, or people can survive. A wise man learns from the experience of others. An ordinary man learns from his own experience. A fool learns from nobody’s experience.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 2. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
