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Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel —because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:1-9 NRSV)
Good morning, dear Friend! I pray this finds you and yours doing well. As we pray this morning, please include Laura Oneal Pesek in your prayers. Today she underwent a six-plus hour surgery in San Antonio. Laura is from our church in Gonzales. Also, from Gonzales, Crystol Callendar had a brain tumor removed this past weekend. Prayers that the Lord bring a speedy healing and recovery to them. Please pray for one another; pray for yourselves.
Have you ever found yourself in a place that did not speak your language? If you found yourself the only English speaker and then you heard someone speak in English, what was your reaction? It was probably one of excitement and joy because finally at long last you were among those who spoke your language, correct? I've shared how some years ago at a General Conference I was waiting on an elevator and I saw the badge of a delegate from Czechoslovakia and so I approached him and said, "Yak Se Mas, naska rano (Probably spelling it wrong!)" and that was enough for this man to get excited and reply, "Dobré " and a string of other words that were like Greek to me. He hugged me as I tried to explain that I only knew what he had heard, but he was ecstatic for having heard a greeting in his native tongue. He opened his briefcase and handed me a lot of Gospel tracts in Czech that he wanted me to give to any Czech speaking people I might know.
Imagine the reverse. You wake up and you think you're saying good morning to your spouse or kids and they look at you like you're speaking gibberish. They answer back and now they're the ones speaking gibberish. Or, like the couple from Arkansas that adopted a Russian baby who went to the University of Arkansas to speak to a Russian professor. They were told that Russian was not one of the languages taught there. "What's the hurry in finding a Russian speaker?" they asked. "Mister, my wife and I adopted this little Russian baby and before too long he's gonna start speaking Russian and we want to be ready when he does!"
Language is important. It allows for ideas and thoughts to be shared. It's vital in all relationships, and it's important in teams. Today's passage concerns a team who had wandered eastward and who decided to settle in a plain in Shinar (not Shiner so don't think about beer!). This was during the time when the whole world had one language and a common speech. They had a brilliant idea; build a city, complete with a tower with a revolving restaurant that overlooked their city (Okay, I'm thinking about San Antonio!). They also gave their intent away when they said, this tower "will reach to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves..." The implication is manifold here. Tents were the accustomed dwelling places for humans. The cities were built by those who were rebellious to God. And to build a fortified city along with a tower was to assume a posture of warfare with Heaven. Matthew Henry's commentary says that true believers would have encouraged each other to good works and things of charity; these men encouraged each other to combative things against God (sound familiar?). This gets God's attention, as does our doing charitable works, but this concerns God about those who want things their way, and "their way" is usually against God. God states, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." The solution was to confuse their language "so they will not understand each other." So, off they went, seeking those who spoke like them, to find that corner in the world where they might live. The place was called Babel because it was there the "Lord confused the language of the whole world."
This coming Sunday we will be celebrating the gift of tongues falling on the Church with the purpose of each person knowing in their own language "the mighty works of God." You and I have the chance to use our language for the good; to motivate each other to deeper faith and charitable works for the good of others.
PRAYER: GOD of one language, the language of unconditional love, speak to our hearts in ways that ignite our desire to share more, do more, and be more; all for You. Bless those for whom we are praying and bless them. We pray for our sisters who underwent surgeries and ask they be healed quickly. Bless this dear reader and his or her needs. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Speak the language of love today!
Blessings of love,
Eradio Valverde
