The Importance of Language

I had only been in this town a few times. Like all Peruvian frontier towns, Breu was a mix of native and foreign. It was the last Peruvian town on this upper Amazon tributary and the town had a feel of the Old West. Natives traded with settlers, and timber was the topic of interest. If not for the military outpost, I doubt the town would even exist, but so it was, I found myself in a time and place far from my point of origin.

Breu had the only store in the district, anything from ammunition to batteries could be bought­–at exuberant prices. The reason we came to Breu now escapes my mind, but one event is lodged in my memory.

Every day of the week, there were six languages spoken in Breu. And of all these the most looked down upon was the language of the Yaminahua tribe. It was not easy learning their language, but for the task I had been given it was imperative. One night, my partner and I found ourselves in a conversation with a Mestizo (a Peruvian of mixed blood) and a Yaminahua (native) man. The conversation quickly became an argument. I knew both men, but only barely, however, I felt it necessary to try and calm the situation. In the midst of the discussion, the Yaminahua man said to the Mestizo; “No, you don’t understand me. This man (pointing at me) understands me, he speaks our language.”

There was little more said after this. We parted and went our ways; however, I noticed an odd look on my partners face when he turned and said to me, “Do you realize what that Yaminahua man just said? He said that you understood him because you spoke his language, but he was not speaking his language!  The whole conversation was in Spanish.” 

Jonah poem:

Oh what a calling so great

to preach the gospel to those in lost state.

But after I listen then do I flee.

For my rebellion I will not submit to thee.

But you are the tempest the wind and the wave

and from your pursuit I cannot be saved.

But then at last my nature is strong

and I will drown myself before I admit to my wrong.

Yet you in your sovereignty my death refuse.

And by your grace my life you use.

And after three days my will it was broken.

To whom you command your word will be spoken.

But then to my horror your spirit it moved.

And through mercy not wrath you choose to reprove

And the Lord said to me "you are the same,

consider your rebellion and look at your shame.

For you, most wicked of all

I gave you life and you refused my call."

-R Lane

The Older Saint

We really did not know what we were getting into. We were green as could be. We had never been on a mission trip without "adult" supervision. Before we left, my father had given me an email of a missionary that he knew. Corey sent this missionary an email to let him know of our plans to study in Guatemala. When we arrived at the airport there he was. The older missionary was there waiting for us. I was amazed at his hospitality and generosity. He drove us to a city where we could catch a bus for our school. He bought us supper and spoke encouraging words to our ears. He would not leave until we were settled in a hotel and had a plan for our transportation the next day. The missionary lived hours away from the airport. I was amazed at his sacrifice of time and money to help us in our time of need. I still remember his words; "we got to get you boys to the mission field." There was an urgency in his voice that I did not understand. He comprehended the importance of my obedience to Christ more than I did. He did not know me, we had never talked, but still he treated me like I was his son. My dear brother in Christ has now received his eternal reward. And now that I have a few years under my belt and a different perspective on life, I am beginning to understand the responsibility he felt to God to help us “get to the mission field.” This is how we replace ourselves. This is how we pass the torch.

Worship.

        God requires worship. His command to worship is a command to enjoy the very person of God. The Psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” (Psalms 34:8) In Colossians 1:15-20, Paul records an early Christian hymn. These verses were likely recited or sung by the early church, as a declaration of Christ’s divinity. During the fourth century, Augustine wrote, “But let my soul praise Thee, that it may love Thee, and let it confess Thy mercies to Thee, that it may praise Thee. Thy whole creation praises Thee without ceasing…” The nature of God inspires believers to worship. In 1971, Schaeffer stated, “Our generation is overwhelmingly naturalistic. There is an almost complete commitment to the concept of the uniformity of natural causes in a closed system.” American culture has become increasingly more resistant to the idea of the supernatural. The worship of God is a supernatural process, whereby the natural meets supernatural. The praises of believers transcend time and space to reach a heavenly audience. The very idea of biblical worship is contrary to American culture. Rick Warren said that the heart of worship is surrender, which is an unpopular word, disliked almost as much as submission…. In today’s competitive culture, Americans are taught to never give up and never give in–so they do not hear much about surrendering.

 Paul’s words are cutting to a culture that idealizes the natural when the Bible teaches that the natural man is corrupt and eternally damned. Only in submission to Christ is salvation found. For this reason, the church must understand the importance of living and teaching the spiritual discipline of worship.