On Being Tactful

Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hunddred shekels of silver - what is that between you and me? Bury your dead." - Genesis 23:14

No deep thoughts from me today.  I just thought this was an interesting exchange on the way they bartered in the days of Abraham.  Sarah has died and Abraham is grieving and since he is residing in an alien land, he needs somewhere to bury her. He speaks with the Hittites and Ephron offers to give him some land that he owns. Abraham says, "Oh, no...I will pay full price for it!"  Ephron answers, "Consider it a gift, but by the way, it's worth 400 shekels." So Abraham pays him 400 shekels.  

This was typical back then and was considered the polite way of bartering. How surprised would Ephron have been if Abraham said, "Why thank you, Ephron! I accept your gift!" It's kind of like when a wife asks her husband if he thinks she should buy that new couch or when a husband asks his wife if she minds if he goes out with the guys.  It's polite to ask, but we all know what answer is expected.

I'm not the most tactful person in the world and I've found that southerners are way more tactful than our friends up north. My feeling used to be, if everybody knows what's really being said, why dance around it?  After offending people on multiple occasions over the years, I've grown a bit more diplomatic, but I don't think I'll ever have the finesse of some of my life-long southerner friends.  I still have much to learn.

Loving God,

Help us to communicate in ways that show our love for one another, but also in a way that gets the point across.  Amen.