Our world is smaller than it has ever been, in the context of seeing different cultures and hearing different languages. I have the privilege of teaching language at WCS, in both French and English. Throughout the year in my classes we are able to study both the language and the culture of different communities in France, Quebec, Ontario and Korea. It is sometimes the most interesting for students to see how communities who live very far away and speak a totally different language, still can have so many similarities to us.

While looking at language learning as a whole, I realize that there a lot more to language than just speech. One can understand what a person is saying through their facial expressions, by seeing their hand gestures, their communication with drawings, pictures and writing. There is even communication through humming familiar songs. By one way or another, bridges can be built to allow communication to happen. It is not always or often perfect, but sometimes the mistakes allow for the best learning and connection to occur.

It is so incredible that people from different places and cultures in the world, who have different walks of life and speak a totally different language can also love and serve the same Lord. The Christmas message that we will be focussing on in our churches this month and at WCS this week; the message that the angels brought to the shepherds outside Bethlehem many years ago, is the same message for believers in all languages and in all parts of the world. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  “C'est qu'aujourd'hui, dans la ville de David, il vous est né un Sauveur, qui est le Christ, le Seigneur.”

Our Saviour Jesus Christ has come and we wait in hope for when He will come again. This is a message worth communicating in whatever language you experience and can share.

 

R. Sikma