Gestures matter!
Our gestures, facial expressions and body posture matter. People listen most with their eyes. What we hear and see must match, otherwise we do not believe it. This is not only the case in the Netherlands and Canada, but everywhere in this world. It is often useful for people to listen with their eyes. But sometimes it also poses challenges.
It is very useful for people to listen with their eyes in case you cannot convey something clearly with words. For example, you can play ball with children without knowing a word of their language. But it also poses challenges. Gestures in another culture can sometimes mean something different. That is why not only is a language course necessary, but a course about gestures is also not an unnecessary luxury.
Learning
How do you learn new gestures? By watching the gestures people make, and by asking questions. In South Africa, if you want to indicate how big a child is, you don’t do it with your hand horizontally, as we are used to in the Netherlands. But you hold your fingers together and point them up (see picture). After all, a child is still growing, right? And you want it to get bigger. When I asked a woman what she thought of the Dutch gesture, I got two answers. Either it is belittling, because you are, as it were, pushing a child down. Or you are talking about an animal instead of a human being, because for small animals such as chickens you do indicate the size with your hand horizontally.
Spread out
In the Bible we read about gestures as well. The fact that our gestures can also obscure or clarify the Biblical message, entails a great responsibility and gives us a sense of dependence. The message of death that beckons every hour, because of our sins. Or Satan who entices and beckons. But it can also point to Christ, Who has spread His hands wide (Isaiah 65:2). Yes, so wide, that He invites all the ends of the earth to come (Isaiah 45:22). ‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’’
Dependence
A great responsibility and a sense of dependence, because God’s Name is connected to our work. Question 122 of the Catechism talks about the first petition, ‘Hallowed be Thy Name.’ That prayer may well be our daily prayer, wherever we are. ‘…that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions,’ and today I add, ‘and our gestures’, ‘that Thy name may never be blasphemed, but rather honoured and praised on our account.’
Nella Verschuur
