Tower of Babel

“Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.” Gen. 11:1

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all spoke the same language! Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t communicate with the people around you?

Before the Tower of Babel all the people of the world spoke the same language. No problems with communication then. However, as with all sinful human beings, the people wanted more. They wanted to be equal with God, but God had other plans.

“Come, let us go down and confuse their language, so they will not understand each other...From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth” Gen. 11:7&9

As we begin our language training, we are reminded of the chaos that must have existed after God confused the languages of the people.

In our French class we have a young woman from Argentina, one from Bolivia, one from Colombia and one from India. We also have a young man from China and a middle-aged man from Indonesia. How do we communicate with each other! Do we all speak Spanish, Hindi, Chinese, Bahasa, English or French? No! How can we possibly communicate!

This is where faith and trust in the Lord come in. Without the abilities that God gives us, we would not be able to learn other languages. If we try to take things into our own hands like the people at the Tower of Babel, God will confuse our plans.

God has called us to serve the people of West Africa, many of whom speak French. God is also the One who will give us the ability to speak the languages that we will need to share the good news of salvation.

“The will of God will never take you, where the arms of God cannot support you.”