“Then letters came in but three times a week: indeed, in some places in Scotland where I have stayed when I was a girl, the post came in but once a month;—but letters were letters then; and we made great prizes of them, and read them and studied them like books. Now the post comes rattling in twice a day, bringing short jerky notes, some without beginning or end, but just a little sharp sentence, which well-bred folks would think too abrupt to be spoken.” ― Elizabeth Gaskell, My Lady Ludlow
Among my most treasured
possessions is a tattered cardboard box full of handwritten letters that my
husband and I exchanged 43 years ago. Ours
was not the usual courtship because it was almost entirely done by
correspondence. Robert and I were high school acquaintances
but our romantic interest didn’t blossom until later after I moved to Utah and
he moved to Colorado. We wrote letters to each other for two
months, sometimes twice a day, and after just a few phone calls and only seven days of being together in person,
we were married.
The advent of technology dealt a
major blow to the art of letter writing, which is tragic in my opinion. We have truly lost a wonderful means of expression in a world that has downsized communication to memes and 140 characters.
“Research
has shown that the general act of writing by hand can promote quite a few
physical and mental benefits, from improving learning abilities to fostering a more positive outlook on life. And when it comes
to writing that is used as a form of communication between two people, namely
letters and postcards, the impact of such messages lasts far longer than any
alternative version offered in our high-tech world. From the careful intentions of the sender to
the value experienced by the receiver, no
true match exists for this old-time, traditional means of conversation.”
While the next generation may never
experience the delight of rummaging through boxes of musty handwritten letters tucked away in a closet, God has preserved for us letters that are of far greater value. The
New Testament contains copies of 21 letters that were originally handwritten by
the apostles or with the aid of an amanuensis (Rom. 16:2; 1 Peter 5:12). Paul wrote
13 or 14 if he authored Hebrews.
James, Peter, John, and Jude wrote 7—and then there were also the 7 letters to
the churches dictated directly by Christ to John and recorded in the Book of Revelation.
Last Sunday our pastor began a new series in
the book of Colossians, and reminded us that these letters of correspondence were originally intended to be read aloud to the congregation. As he does
occasionally, we were asked to stand to hear the reading of the entire book, which took about ten minutes. As
this marvelously detailed letter was being read aloud, perhaps in a similar way that the house church in Colossae first heard it, I considered the methods of correspondence we use today. I wondered about the impact that communicating in sound bites has on our relationships and even how it might influence the way we approach the Scriptures.
The apostles wrote personal letters
addressed to both individuals and congregations.
These letters, though written under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were
intended to convey the author’s thoughts and affections along with instruction, encouragement, exhortation, and correction to the hearers. Letters to the churches were meant to be
read in one sitting, as well as to
be studied carefully in context.
I
have been challenged on two accounts this week. The first is to remember to read the New Testament epistles in their broader
sense so that I that don’t lose the
forest through the trees. And the second is to resurrect to some degree, the art of letter writing. I think a good start would be to buy a box
a beautiful stationary and write letters to each of my grandchildren—chances are they won't collect many. But first
I’ll have to brush up on my handwriting.
Loved this.
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