Read Between the Lines
“I’m not angry!” she yells as she clenches her fists and stomps away! If we read between the lines, we hear the message of her behavior rather than her words.
To read between the lines means to find the true message.
We understand what was not said or written — what a person really means. Hidden feelings or thoughts become clear.
This can also happen when anyone hems and haws, trying to avoid giving an answer.
Read between the lines comes from cryptography.
Secret writing hides true messages between the lines of text. The Free Dictionary’s explanations include:
- “In one code, reading every second line of a message gives a different meaning from that of the entire text.”
- In another method, people “write the secret information in invisible ink between the lines of a document.”
Honesty with self and others makes life easier.
When we try to fool anyone, no one wins. Better to say and do what we mean, to remain on the up and up. The Apostle Paul left his readers a good example.
“My letters have been straightforward and sincere; nothing is written between the lines!” (2 Corinthians 1:13 TLB).
Thanks to Amy Walsh for the idea from a recent social media post.
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