Sunday, August 7, 2016

King Solomon, Conversation Tip

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 Want to know how to have a great dinner conversation?

Do you ever feel exasperated, or even sorry for people going out to dinner with a group of acquaintances and experiencing people at the table look at their electronic gadgets instead on joining in on conversation?
I did something last week. The result was that yesterday everyone at my dinner table took out their cell phones and put them on a plate in front of me. Then miraculously, they all started talking to each other instead of ‘zoning out’ on their devices.
What to know what I did, I will tell you. But first, I have to explain an interpretation of this proverb.
King Solomon
17a. Iron is sharpened on iron,
17b. a man sharpens the wits of his friend. (Proverb 27:17)
Over time, and word transpositions of different languages, interpretations may change or skew the original message of proverbial meanings.
There is controversy on this proverb with the word ‘face’ that was changed to ‘sharpened’ because some biblical scholars were not familiar, in my opinion, to associate ‘face,’ (a typical human or animal characteristic,) with ‘iron,’ (a typical metal characteristic.)
However, a machine craftsman is familiar with ‘facing off a surface.’ This means to first smooth one surface of an object in order to instill a starting or squaring point of an object to be used as a reference surface in order to accurately measure in relation to an adjoining surface.
We may also use the term to ‘face off with each other’ in a sports challenge or debate.
In other words, this proverb was interpreted by Biblical Scholars, perhaps unfamiliar with metal working terminology, to decide to translate the word ‘sharpen’ instead of ‘face’ to associate with metal being sharpened as a means to make the ‘tool,’ or ‘wits,’ be bettered, more useful, or more accurate.
For example, these are some excerpt comments made by a Biblical Scholar Mc Kane, in his interpretations of his contemporaries about this proverb.
“The application of the simile in v. 17b is not all together clear and it is difficult to decide among the possibilities. The reference to the ‘face’ of one’s neighbor is puzzling, but this is hardly an accurate reason for deleting ‘face.’ (Toy), although this makes v.17b easier. The thought may be that a man acquires polished manners through the experience of social intercourse.” ……..
“I am inclined to Scott, who tenders ‘So a man sharpens the perception of his companion.’ It is by such a dialectic, by the sharpening of one mind on another, that a man’s that a man’s thinking becomes keen as a razor blade.” (Proverbs Mc Kane)
What is My Point
It is that that in human terms, face to face conversations are, and always will be, the best and most effective method to communicate between humans. Yes, a text message, a letter, a writing also serves to communicate. However, a face to face conversation is the best method to share personal thoughts, ideas, human emotions, sharpen each other perceptions, and bond with another.
Conversation is also ‘a tool of wisdom’ as I explained in a previous post King Solomon, referenced below, King Solomon Reveals His Secret Tools.
So What Did I Do?

I emailed a previous post titled, King Solomon, Modern ‘Shamir Worm,’

to everyone I was going to meet with at yesterday’s dinner.
I used this technique same as when used in a business meeting to set an advanced agenda for the discussion topic to prepare goals for an effective meeting to produce results.
Perhaps you may want to send the post to prepare your loved ones, especially if it includes millennials, to promote a more enjoyable dinner conversation.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Reference Posts
King Solomon Modern Shamir Worm HERE
King Solomon Reveals His Secret Tools HERE

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