10/5/09

Rethinking language

How did you do on this little test? I was able to do it after a little bit of trying, just as long as I went S-L-O-W-L-Y!!! I have to confess I did make a couple of mistakes though, but eventually I went through the list without mistakes. I guess we are hard-wired to do things a certain way and only with difficulty can we change. As time goes on we become more and more settled in our ways, which explains why youngsters have no problem learning a new language, but older people do. Which brings up the question: Why do we have different languages in the first place? Read on to see the answer from the Bible.

Genesis 11:1-9 Complete Apostles' Bible
(1) And all the earth had one language, and one speech.
(2) And it came to pass as they moved from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
(3) And a man said to his neighbor, Come, let us make bricks and bake them with fire. And the brick was to them for stone, and their mortar was asphalt.
(4) And they said, Come, let us build to ourselves a city and tower, whose top shall be to heaven, and let us make to ourselves a name, before we are scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth.
(5) And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the sons of men had built.
(6) And the Lord said, Behold, there is one race, and one language of all, and they have begun to do this, and now nothing shall fail from them of all that they have undertaken to do.
(7) Come, let Us go down and confound their language, that they may not understand each the voice of his neighbor.
(8) And the Lord scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city and the tower.
(9) On this account its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confounded the languages of all the earth, and then the Lord scattered them upon the face of all the earth.
Arrogance and pride are the culprits and God the corrective force. Recently, I had heard that scientists claim to have traced our current languages back to one original. Nice of them to tell me, because I have known that since the first time I read through the book of Genesis. I think its interesting that there seems to be a trend towards a one government world and that a "new" international language called Esperanto has been introduced.
Hey, but that's just me being a little paranoid. It would be interesting to see if God would confuse a one language Earth a second time. I guess we will just have to wait for Jesus to return to find out!

Contentment

This little kitten is a picture of contentment! Happiness is written all over its face; but, I wonder what it is thinking about? Since I don't speak "kitten" I will have to guess. My best guess is that it is enjoying the "now" and reveling in its comfort. But, what do we revel in? This passage from the book of 1 Timothy is a springboard for thought.


1 Timothy 6:6-12 Complete Apostles' Bible
(6) But godliness with contentment is great gain.
(7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that neither can we carry anything out!
(8) But having food and clothing, with these things we shall be content.
(9) But those desiring to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many senseless and harmful lusts which sink men in destruction and perdition.
(10) For the love of money is a root of all evils, of which some by aspiring have strayed away from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
(11) You however, O man of God, flee these things. But pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.
(12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.


The acquisition and hording of money can be a bottomless pit, an obsession which is overpowering and can be the ruin of a life. Paul talks about Godliness and the pursuit of Spiritual things as the correct goal. I think he is right! The things of this world belong to this world and because we are only here for a short time, their relative value is small compared to spiritual blessing which endure forever. Think I am wrong? Look at the kitten once again; this little fellow doesn't own anything, but is just enjoying life. Maybe we should as well; and prepare for the life after life as well. Contentment forever; what a thought!