As a teacher, preacher, author, and evangelist, I'm always asking myself how I can communicate better.

This morning I read Thomas Gardner's review of Annie Dillard's The Maytrees, in "Books and Culture," and was struck with his quote of Dillard's description of a man committed to a woman whom he didn't love: "...comparing it to wrapping his hands around oars on a cold sea, icing them fast, and continuing to row."

That's communication you can see, feel, and even shudder at. When you lead a small group, teach, preach, or share your faith, always ask: How can I say this in a way that they can smell, see, and feel?

For example, I could say, "Herod was a wicked man." Or I could say, "Herod was a monster." Both communicate the same message, but the second says it with color.