Understanding

Imagine sitting and listening to someone tell you the best story you’ve ever heard.  Everything is awesome, other than the fact that you can’t understand a number of key words.  The story is interesting.  The story teller is adamant that this story will change your life.  However, you just are not sure how it comes together. You don’t really understand.

We’ve lived in Brazil for 7 years.  We often have church or meetings in Portuguese (national language of Brazil).  And even though we are considered proficient in Portuguese, there are still times that one of us (Joel or I) still need to ask about a word or even look it up.  Sometimes that ONE WORD will make all the difference in understanding the entire sentence, paragraph, or passage.  We are blessed to have access to translations that we can fully understand.

This is not the case in many tribal locations.  Our tribal co-workers work long and hard so that the tribal people they are reaching for Christ, will truly understand the gospel. In order for that to happen, the missionaries learn the language, write it down & translate the Word of God.  So when a tribal person needs/wants to check something they’ve heard, they can go to the Bible (one that they understand!) and read it for themselves just like we can (and go on to teach others as well)!

Can you imagine not being able to read the Word of God in your own language?  Not being able to fully grasp what it’s saying?  The truth is, there are many who can not.  So today when you sit down to read God’s Word, be thankful that you can.  And please pray for the laborers who are working so that others can too.