Language Barriers

             If you are a basketball fan, then you are probably aware that “March Madness” has already begun.  Last night I sat down to watch my favorite college team play in their conference semi-final game.  On the line was a trip to the championship and ultimately an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.  Unfortunately, due to some glitch within my TV provider, I had to watch the entire game while listening to the play-by-play commentary in Spanish.  I tried everything I could think of, including checking the internet only to find that others were having the same problem.  Ultimately, it was a choice to watch the game with Spanish commentary or not at all.  I chose to watch it.

            I’m enough of a basketball nut to have a grasp of the ins and outs of the game, even without commentary, but it was still a little strange.  If I had been a basketball novice, I would have been completely lost.  Even for me, there were those moments when I knew the whistle blew but I wasn’t sure of the exact call.  Still, no one had to explain what that shot at the buzzer meant. Victory was ours!!

            As I thought about that this morning, I was prompted to consider how many people around the world are unable to fully understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ because they do not have the Scripture in their own language.  According to Wycliffe Bible Translators, 1 in 5 people in the world are still waiting for the Bible in their language.  Of the 7,395 languages in the world, 3,508 have no Scripture.  The language barrier even affects the message of those who seek to go and teach because they often must speak through interpreters. 

            Translating Scripture is often a tedious process, largely because many of these languages are not written.  The translator must first learn the language, develop a written format, and then begin the translation process. Thankfully, we now have apps that allow individuals to hear the Word in their native language in addition to cutting-edge technology that speeds up the translation process.  Progress is being made with an average of one new language project being launched every day.  Still, there is much work to be done.

            We may be able to express the love of Jesus despite the language barriers but introducing people to His wonderful saving grace when they have no concept of who He is and what He has done is another story.  I was able to understand and enjoy the game despite the language barrier because I have known and understood the game for years.  Unreached people groups have no underlying understanding of the love of Christ.  That’s why it is so important that we continue to use every technology available to take the Gospel to them in their own language. 

            Pray that God will raise up more translators and even better technology so that every person can read and understand the love of Christ in their own language.  Until the whole world knows!

Matthew 24: 14

Matthew 28: 18 - 20

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hi, I'm the Sun Porch Lady

  Hi, I’m the Sun Porch Lady. I recently retired and while most of the world thinks that is a wonderful thing, I've found it to be anything but wonderful. I've been going to school and/or working since I was six years old so finding myself with nothing, but free time is a whole new experience.   I have no structure, no daily schedule, and seemingly no purpose in my life.   While that may sound like heaven, I believe that Christians never retire.   God just repurposes them. As I struggled to find new purpose and bring some structure back to my life, I turned to writing.   Over the years, I have often written devotional thoughts or put various ideas to paper.   I can’t say that I’ve ever been very good at journaling but from time to time, I have written about events in my life that taught me values or made me more aware of God working in my life.   So, to keep busy and hopefully spark an interest in others I've decided to create this blog. I’m callin...
Read more

Is there a "Banana Cake" for you in 2025?

                 Most families have at least one Christmas tradition.   Our family is no exception.   One of our traditions when I was growing up was my Mom’s banana cake.   She only made it once a year, at Christmas time, and the whole family loved it—even my Father who was a very picky eater.   Once the cake cooled, Mom would cut it down the middle and then hide half of it.   She wanted to make sure that we would still have some when friends or family dropped in.   We knew better than to search for her hiding place, and she knew that if she didn’t hide part of it, we would eat it all.               When my Mom got sick and could no longer bake the cake, my Dad decided that it was my job.   As my closest friends know, I am not much of a cook—although I’ve seen some improvement since I retired.   That first year was a disaster.   Th...
Read more

Freedom Isn't Free!

             On Christmas night, 1776, George Washington engineered a surprise attack on Britain’s German allies, capturing 1000 Hessian troops.   The story of him and his troops crossing the icy Delaware that night gave hope to a new nation fighting for its life.   Regrettably, the celebration was short-lived.   Just a week later, the enlistments of most of his troops were ending, and it seemed unlikely that they would stay to continue the fight for freedom.   As he faced that prospect, Washington lined up his troops and offered this plea. “My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than can be reasonably expected; but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses and all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves out with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your cou...
Read more