The preacher might have begun: "All of us are going to die."
The preacher might have begun: "All of us are going to live."
The preacher might have begun: "All of us are alive."
Each statement tells the truth. Each statement could lead in a different direction. Each statement could be made in various tones of voice, such as anger, thundering, pedantic, bored ("so what?"), excited, happy, sad, resigned.
Try them: say each statement in at least four different tones of voice. If you record it on your iPad or iPhone, you can listen to how a statement comes across using differing tones of voice.
Each statement is true, but the tone of voice in which it is spoken may make the statement somewhat untrue.
Sadly, we don't have the tone of voice Jesus used when he told parables, taught crowds, reviewed things for his followers or pressed on with his journeys. Was he being humorous or scathing? Sarcastic or dead serious?
Tone of voice matters.
When you greet a stranger in your church, synagogue or mosque, you might say, "Pleased you are here", but your tone of voice, your body language and your follow up actions tell the truth. Your words . . . may not.
What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know.
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