Don't Turn Your Back!

While words are very important in communication, sometimes it’s the non verbal communication that actually “speaks” volumes!

Non verbal communication can include such things as gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact (or lack thereof); body language, posture, and other ways people can communicate without using language.

Such non verbal communication can sometimes be quite clear and effective.  A hug, for example, can communicate love or support or concern.  A finger held upright to the lips can communicate the need to be quiet or to keep a secret.  Hands held up, palms out, can communicate surrender or I’m finished.

The Lord used the Prophet Jeremiah to highlight some non verbal communication that people were using as they responded to God:  “They turned their backs to me and not their faces…”  (Jer 32:3)

The non verbal communication of turning our faces toward someone normally means that we are giving them our attention.  When we turn our back on someone, it usually means we are ignoring them or, even worse, that we are rejecting them.

The second part of the verse makes it clear that God very much understood their non verbal communication:  “…though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.”

It was bad enough that they did not turn their faces to God but in turning their backs on God, they made it fairly obvious that they were rejecting what He had to say.

While we may not necessarily demonstrate those specific non verbal communication cues to God, He does know our hearts and so it is so very important to keep our hearts tender, teachable and turned toward Him!