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 Once,
in northern Arizona, a huge Indian woman visited our Bible
Class. She gave no indication she could understand a word of
English, and apparently only came because several of her
children were enrolled there. But my wife wanted to welcome her,
and so she sat beside her, and “talked” with her for some
time, using an older daughter as an interpreter.
Vivian
would say, “We are so glad you could come to our Bible Study.”
The daughter would then speak to the mother in the rumbling,
softly explosive language of the Navajo — mother would reply
in kind — and daughter would say to my wife, “She is happy
that you are trying to teach her children.”
This
went on for some time —- until my wife asked, “How many
children have you?”
The
daughter answered, ”Eighteen!” and this caught my wife a bit
off-guard. She hesitated a moment, and then said to the
daughter, “Tell her it must be wonderful to have such a large
family.”
Without
waiting for “translation” the large Indian woman leaned over
and spoke directly to my wife, “You think so??”
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Apparently
the Navajo mother had her own reasons for not “understanding”
English — until interests and emotions arose that
over-shadowed the first consideration. I can almost sense her
thoughts: “What does that two-child pale face know about
having a large family??”
And
I think I have seen this philosophy at work among people who
just “can’t understand” the word of God. They understand
the daily paper, the trade journals, football statistics, etc.,
— enough to argue with you about any point of difference
there. But through the sermon, or in Bible class, they are
politely indifferent; with an attitude of “I’ll take your
word for it — it’s all over my head.”
Until
you hit close to home —something that really matters to them.
Then they come to life — feelings hurt, or swinging their pet
scriptures about as though they were full-time debaters. They
need your help, on everything except money, marriage, and
masonry — or whatever touches home. Then, “Forget the
translator, Sir, you are singing my song.”
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