Jesus Knows No Barriers in Communication
Since I have been a math teacher for a large portion of my life, I am familiar with the task of trying to determine the thinking trail of the one I teach. This is usually accomplished first by listening, and then by observing intonation, body language and facial expression. When I traded in my chalk for my Bible, I brought that process with me. The Word is infinitely more important than mathematics and I desperately want to know that I am making sense.
Last month I went on a mission trip to Kenya where they speak Swahili. You will not be surprised to hear that I do not speak nor understand Swahili. I had an interpreter but was unable to pick up on any of the nuances to which I was accustom to responding. I was frustrated and simply hoped they understood the message.
God spoke to me about that frustration Sunday when I witnessed the testimony and baptism of a young deaf Chinese man. Through the course of those few minutes, he communicated with us through the English language, American sign language, Chinese, and Chinese sign language. My heart was touched and from the sniffles I heard around me, mine was not the only one.
God reminded me that the things He wants communicated are not dependent on my words or my ability to "read" a person or situation. Neither is His communication dependent on our ability to hear. It is God who communicates and He is perfectly capable of making Himself heard. If God who spoke through a donkey (Numbers 22) chooses to speak through me, then that donkey and I are blessed to get to witness what He is doing.
Resting in Him, the frustrated "hope that they understand" becomes peace and faith. I'd rather trust Jesus than me any day!
Last month I went on a mission trip to Kenya where they speak Swahili. You will not be surprised to hear that I do not speak nor understand Swahili. I had an interpreter but was unable to pick up on any of the nuances to which I was accustom to responding. I was frustrated and simply hoped they understood the message.
God spoke to me about that frustration Sunday when I witnessed the testimony and baptism of a young deaf Chinese man. Through the course of those few minutes, he communicated with us through the English language, American sign language, Chinese, and Chinese sign language. My heart was touched and from the sniffles I heard around me, mine was not the only one.
God reminded me that the things He wants communicated are not dependent on my words or my ability to "read" a person or situation. Neither is His communication dependent on our ability to hear. It is God who communicates and He is perfectly capable of making Himself heard. If God who spoke through a donkey (Numbers 22) chooses to speak through me, then that donkey and I are blessed to get to witness what He is doing.
Resting in Him, the frustrated "hope that they understand" becomes peace and faith. I'd rather trust Jesus than me any day!
Comments