Bad Communication
Sometimes the truth is far stranger than fiction. Back in the 1970’s a newspaper in Pretoria, South Africa was having trouble getting its classified ads printed correctly. Following is a recollection of a problem that seemed to go from bad to worse:
Classified ad #1— “The Rev. A. J. Jones has a color TV for sale. Telephone 555-1313 after 7 p.m. and ask for Mrs. Donelley who lives with him, cheap.”
The next day the Pretoria paper attempted to print a correction. It read this way — “We regret any embarrassment caused to Rev. Jones by a typographical error in yesterday’s editions. It should have read: The Rev. Jones has a color TV for sale, cheap. Telephone 555-1313 and ask for Mrs. Donnelley who lives with him after 7 p.m.”
The next day revision #2 appeared in the paper. It said — “The Rev. Jones informs us that he has received several annoying phone calls because of an incorrect advertisement in yesterday’s paper. It should have read: The Rev. A. J. Jones has color TV for sale. Cheap. Telephone after 7 p.m. 555-1313 and ask for Mrs. Donnelley who loves with him.”
Yes, there was another revision the next day. Revision #3 said — “Please take notice that I, Rev. Jones, have no color TV for sale. I have smashed it. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Donnelley. She was, until yesterday, my housekeeper."
One can laugh at the tragedy of this miscommunication. What is amazing is that Rev. Jones used the paper one more time. His last advertisement with the paper read this way — “WANTED: a housekeeper. Telephone the Rev. A. J. Jones. 555-1313. Usual housekeeping duties, good pay, love in.”
It is easy to read this story and wonder how the newspaper could get things wrong so often. We might ask why the man kept trusting that the bungling newspaper would straighten things out. Obviously, the newspaper had some issues that needed to be corrected. How often do we make the same mistake? How often do we put our trust in the wrong thing?
The Bible tells us that we live in a flawed world. God made this world perfect in the beginning, but it has been marred by sin and corruption. God has promised that there is coming a day when all will be made right, however. Corruption will be cleaned. Wrong will be righted. Tears will be wiped away. Hope will be restored. In the light of these great promises, we have choices to make. Will we trust in a fallen world that will only disappoint us? Or, will we trust in a loving God who has told us that He will always be with us? God has shown the quality of his love in sending Jesus to die for our sins. God has shown us the purpose of his plans in redeeming us through the works of Jesus. God has shown us his power in raising Jesus from the dead. God tells us that He can and will raise us by that same power. Keep looking up!