I've kept this guy in my office for many years now. Being in communications, marketing and PR, it's important to keep track of what you say and how you say it. This simple toy is a great reminder to me of that very fact.
You see, I was walking in Target one day and saw him. Spider Man was out in the theaters and he was cute. But when I saw the "but wait, there's more" box on the lower left corner, I had to have him. Does it really include Peter Parker Parts? What parts would those be exactly? Really Playskool?
To be honest, I've never opened the box. The ideas in my head are so much funnier than the reality, I don't want to burst my own balloon. But it was a good reminder to be careful of what I say and how I represent things. Just because it makes sense to me, doesn't mean it will to someone else. I think the church falls into this trap. We speak Christianeze. To those of us who are churched, it makes perfect sense. Trying to talk to someone who is not, confuses them and makes them feel like they aren't in the club.
So my encouragement from this Spider Spud is to keep it real. Don't make promises you can't keep and don't use language to impress. If communication is the goal, make it universal. Don't include "parts" you can't deliver.
peace.
2 comments:
Hilarious! I had to show the pics to Patrick.
I was just thinking the other day how every industry has it's own lingo and TLAs (three letter acronyms - hehe) that is used for ease in communication. But it is also a way to EXCLUDE others and possibly feel superior every time we have to explain. While I can't stand this, I'm sure I've done it myself.
And you're absolutely right that we do it as Christians too. Yet it is so counter to what our goal shoudl be: loving others to Christ.
This made me smile :)
I love the fact that you haven't opened the box yet..........Hehe.
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