A New Spiritual Language

Some of us need to learn how to speak a new language. We need to learn how to speak the truth in love using the language of our culture and the heart of God to craft our dialogue. Those who will have the most significant impact in the reformation currently taking place in our culture will sound different than those still trapped in the narrow language skills offered by reactionary religious-speak.

When a company has a product or service that is offered outside their borders, they will many times hire a multinational advertising agency to promote their services to customers who do not speak their native language. For example, this morning, I saw a photo of a pastor I know who is traveling to Africa. He was standing in an airport waiting for his flight. Behind him was a sign depicting a smiling flight attendant from Turkish Airlines with the words printed across the ad, “Happy to have you on board.” Those same words translated into Turkish (thanks, Google Translate) would read, “Gemide olduğun için Mutlu.”  Sounds a little different, right?

When Jesus traveled through Samaria, he met a woman at a well. He did not react with a sense of shock like His disciples did when they arrived later and saw Jesus talking with a woman or like most of Israel who was taught that Samaritans were lower class people calling them “Samaritan dogs.” The language Jesus used in His conversation with the woman who had an obvious laundry list of active sins, did not express shock or disgust. He talked in a way that made it easy for her to hear and understand the message of love being offered. As a result of Jesus’ message, the woman ran back to her village and told everyone what had taken place. Her passion for God set off a revival in Samaria.

Hand your language skills over to Jesus. Allow Him access to your words and their presentation. He runs the most successful spiritual ad agency ever known. He will hand you back a new language that can translate more effectively His heart to the culture. When that work is accomplished, your voice will have the same supernatural potential that Jesus modeled with the woman at the well. Some revivals are simply waiting for someone to speak about God in a new way.