I seem to remember learning something from a college communication class about “Joe’s Bill, Bill’s Joe, Joe’s Bill’s Joe and Bill’s Joe’s Bill.”
“Um, David. What? I think you just happened to wake up during that class and only got a bit of what the prof was saying.”
No. For once, I was awake. (My eyes were probably crossed trying to understand, but awake I was). What the teacher told us was that when Joe and Bill communicate Joe has his idea of Bill—Joe’s Bill.
And Bill has his idea of Joe—Bill’s Joe. And Joe has his idea of what Bill thinks of him—Joe’s Bill’s Joe. And Bill has his idea of what Joe thinks of him—Bill’s Joe’s Bill.
You still there?
This all influences how we talk with each other. If Joe thinks Bill hates him it will come out in his way of communicating with Bill. If Bill thinks Joe likes him that will show up in his words, his gestures, and his actions.
If Joe thinks that Bill thinks that he (Joe) is wonderful, he will interact differently with him. And if Bill thinks that Joe thinks that he is a goose, that will also honk into their relationship.
“C’mon David, what are you getting at?”
Your God’s You
I think a lot of us have a hard time in our communications with God because of what we think He thinks of us. “David’s God’s David” if you will. Or “Your God’s You.” Continue reading