Clarity

It is often hard to know where someone, individual or institution, stands.  Part of the reason lies in the fact that everyone wants and or needs the acceptance of others.  A second part of the reason lies is the heart of our world today; complex, multi-layered, and often confusing.  Life is not getting easier; life is full of change, new ideas, and easy access to unending sources of new information on the web.  When you combine the two the result is complex, intricate, and confusing.
 
Candidly, it takes work to say something, anything with clarity.  Rarely does it happen spontaneously.  Clarity requires thought, reflection, and, on most occasions, hard work.  The simple clich?, easy to understand phrase, of tight synopsis doesn’t come from a book of clear thought; though the words one uses to describe a given situation, approach, or problem may be a documented quote.
 
Clarity also requires a second party’s willingness to listen.
 
The criticism I have today lies in the banality of the words often used to describe wicked problems, conundrums, and even complex situations.  Being trite isn’t the same as being concise.  Being predictable and dull in your language does constitute political correctness.  Being unoriginal is often another way of describing laziness.  We can speak with clarity.  We can use words others understand.  We can, with courage, hard work, and a willingness to listen.
 
Hezekiah had a problem.  He sought help from one had had an ongoing God dialogue.  The response was surprising, then and now.  “Isaiah son of Amoz sent this word to Hezekiah: ‘God's Message, the God of Israel: Because you brought King Sennacherib of Assyria to me in prayer, here is my answer, God's answer: ‘She has no use for you, Sennacherib, nothing but contempt, this virgin daughter Zion.  She spits at you and turns on her heel, this daughter Jerusalem.’’”  (Isaiah 37.21, 22) 
 
The words reflect someone who paid attention to the lives and actions of others.  The words show someone who had analyzed and reach a conclusion.  The words and actions could be yours and mine today.