Lost in Translation

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them… When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken…. we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:6 & 11)

It was the Holy Spirit that enabled the apostles to be understood in their own language and to be ‘cut to the heart.’

So it is with us today! While many may speak the ‘same’ language, so much seems to get lost in translation. From a meeting behind closed doors to a message preached from the stage, all too often people only seem to hear what’s being said through several filters. At times this can cause conflict, disagreement or even hardness of heart, all because it never made it to “their own language.”

Sometimes this happens, because we’ve been conditioned to only hear what we want to hear. At other times, we never listen in the first place. We’re too busy reloading what we’ll say next. This often becomes apparent as soon as one speaks, rather than seeking clarity, understanding or to see things from the speakers perspective, we assume we know where they’re coming from, derail, and begin crafting a response (often totally unrelated to what was just said). Sometimes, we don’t even wait for them to finish talking to interrupt. We take the liberty and begin talking over the person, even while they’re still talking. This is always a dead give away that we weren’t listening to start with. Much of this could be remedied as we learn and engage other humans with love, respect and dignity, but ultimately we each need the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to empower us to speak in such a way that others hear us in “their own language,” and as others speak for us to understand them as well.

God fill me with Your Spirit. May I speak and communicate in such a way as to be understood by all, in their own language and situation and may Your Spirit cut to the very core of the heart…