Monday, January 9, 2012

Being Misunderstood

Ok, here's the situation: I was recently accused of "being in love with arguing." I was told I have "an answer to everything." The truth is I know a little bit about a lot of things and I know a lot about a few things. I've been a reader all my life, and through my love of reading I've learned a lot of different things on a variety of subjects. It used to be someone who knew a lot of stuff about a few things was considered well informed and intelligent. I don't like to argue, either; in fact, I HATE arguing. I do, however, like having discussions, and sometimes even a good debate, but I do not like arguing.

When someone makes a statement about a topic which I have some knowledge on, I generally try to impart what I do know to educate the other person on what I've learned. It's not meant to be a statement that the other person is wrong so much as to pass along the information I have. Some would say it's my delivery that prompted the accusation that I like to argue, and that could well be true. I don't try to deliver the information in a condescending manner or come across as a "know-it-all", but to some people I guess I could.

There are some times, however, when the subject is about something personal in my life: an event or a situation in my current place in life, where I will respond if the information that is given is not what I know to be true. But, maybe it's the way I convey that information that carries the subliminal message that I think I know more than anyone, somehow, despite that not being my intent.

I am now more aware of the way in which I present the information I do have, and while I've always been one to let someone know when I don't know something, I must be more careful about how I present the information I do know so that I don't make the person I'm talking with feel like I'm trying to be superior.

This game of life is sometimes complicated, and sometimes without knowing it, we can offend someone just by the way we present ourselves or our information. Thankfully, with God, He looks inside our heart and He knows our intent. He's not going off past experiences with others, He's looking solely at what the intent of our heart is. And I'm so grateful for that.