We often use metaphors to help us communicate. Sometimes the metaphor clouds what was clear without enhancement. Think about these military metaphors often used in business:
“Take the hill.”
“Rally the troops.”
“Defend the line.”
Do sports analogies make things clearer?
“He hit it out of the ballpark.”
“I didn’t mean to throw you a curve ball”
“A good defense will beat a good offense.”
Good metaphors make an emotional connection with the hearer.
Language is not math. Equations produce universal solutions. The calculus is not subjective.
Too often, we send a flurry of words without empathy for the hearer. Good communicators listen and speak from the heart. If we listen closely to a leader, we should hear words that deliver focus points. There should be little doubt about what matters most.
Consider the depth in these biblical metaphors:
“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life'” (John 6:35).
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1).
“We are the clay and You are the Potter” (Isa. 64:8).
” I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12).
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer” (Ps. 18:2).
Spiritual metaphors are words to live by.
God is love.
