Do We Trust Our Interpreter?
Journal 2004 10 27
Do We Trust Our Interpreter?
The Corp moves up to the upper Mandan Indian village, Ruptare. Clark meets Rene Jusseaume, a Frenchman who married into the Mandan's years prior. Jusseaume attempts to impress the Captains and in the process leaves the impression that he is not trustworthy. He brags that he spied on the British for Clark's brother during the Revolutionary War and they do not trust him as an interpreter.
Can you imagine not trusting your interpreter? Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm always suspicious when I see someone interpreting. Are they getting the nuances right? Are they subverting the message. How do you even know you can trust someone to speak for you?
Many times the Corps would have a string of interpreters lined up to speak with the many tribes they met. English to French, French to one tribe's language, that language to another tribal language and all the way back again. Think anything may have become "lost in the translation"?
This history lesson begs the question for we Christians, "Do we trust our Interpreter?"
We have an advocate, we have an intercessor, we have someone who has placed himself between Father and us. Without our "interpreter" we would die.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Rom 8:26-27
We were outside His language in our sinfulness. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to intercede and interpret the will and desire of Father in our lives and being.
Do we trust Him to speak a language we don't know, yet must rely on for our daily and eternal existence? If there is a problem with communications, do we blame God for not understanding us? Do we want to speak for ourselves to Father rather than letting the Holy Spirit "interpret" for us?
Do these questions sound as foolish to you as they do to me? Yet, I find myself constantly in that mindset of trusting my own ability to speak for myself rather than letting the One who constantly intercedes on my behalf do the talking. Foolishness. Pride. Stupidity. Arrogance. Call it what you will, it all boils down to a lack of trust.
Our enemy is undermining trust in our society in every facet. Government, law, business, clergy, education, family, and the list continues. Man puts systems in place to box out failure to fulfill trust and we fail anyway. Today's world is full of mistrust and suspision. And we are always waiting to find the "rest of the story" about anyone who appears to be trustworthy.
Think about it for a minute. What is our first response to an accusation or piece of gossip about someone we know pretty well? Do we say, "No way, I know that person and they would never do that.?” Or do we shake our head in disappointment and mutter, "Who would have ever known? I must have been wrong about them." And another row of rocks is added to the wall that separates us from those we've been called to covenant with.
“And we heard this voice being borne from Heaven, being with Him in the holy mountain. We also have a more sure Word of prophecy, to which you do well to take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Daystar arises in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit.” 2Pe 1:18-21
Peter and the disciples were with Jesus and testify to the "Voice from Heaven" validating Jesus as God's Son. Peter tells us that we have an even more sure word of prophecy to which we will do well to listen to and act on.
Peter goes on to tell us that no prophecy of Scripture came into being by the will of man, but through the Holy Spirit.
Do I trust my Holy Interpreter today?
If I do, how will I approach my day? How will I work? How will I speak with others?
His language or mine? I'll take His.
Do We Trust Our Interpreter?
The Corp moves up to the upper Mandan Indian village, Ruptare. Clark meets Rene Jusseaume, a Frenchman who married into the Mandan's years prior. Jusseaume attempts to impress the Captains and in the process leaves the impression that he is not trustworthy. He brags that he spied on the British for Clark's brother during the Revolutionary War and they do not trust him as an interpreter.
Can you imagine not trusting your interpreter? Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm always suspicious when I see someone interpreting. Are they getting the nuances right? Are they subverting the message. How do you even know you can trust someone to speak for you?
Many times the Corps would have a string of interpreters lined up to speak with the many tribes they met. English to French, French to one tribe's language, that language to another tribal language and all the way back again. Think anything may have become "lost in the translation"?
This history lesson begs the question for we Christians, "Do we trust our Interpreter?"
We have an advocate, we have an intercessor, we have someone who has placed himself between Father and us. Without our "interpreter" we would die.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Rom 8:26-27
We were outside His language in our sinfulness. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to intercede and interpret the will and desire of Father in our lives and being.
Do we trust Him to speak a language we don't know, yet must rely on for our daily and eternal existence? If there is a problem with communications, do we blame God for not understanding us? Do we want to speak for ourselves to Father rather than letting the Holy Spirit "interpret" for us?
Do these questions sound as foolish to you as they do to me? Yet, I find myself constantly in that mindset of trusting my own ability to speak for myself rather than letting the One who constantly intercedes on my behalf do the talking. Foolishness. Pride. Stupidity. Arrogance. Call it what you will, it all boils down to a lack of trust.
Our enemy is undermining trust in our society in every facet. Government, law, business, clergy, education, family, and the list continues. Man puts systems in place to box out failure to fulfill trust and we fail anyway. Today's world is full of mistrust and suspision. And we are always waiting to find the "rest of the story" about anyone who appears to be trustworthy.
Think about it for a minute. What is our first response to an accusation or piece of gossip about someone we know pretty well? Do we say, "No way, I know that person and they would never do that.?” Or do we shake our head in disappointment and mutter, "Who would have ever known? I must have been wrong about them." And another row of rocks is added to the wall that separates us from those we've been called to covenant with.
“And we heard this voice being borne from Heaven, being with Him in the holy mountain. We also have a more sure Word of prophecy, to which you do well to take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Daystar arises in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit.” 2Pe 1:18-21
Peter and the disciples were with Jesus and testify to the "Voice from Heaven" validating Jesus as God's Son. Peter tells us that we have an even more sure word of prophecy to which we will do well to listen to and act on.
Peter goes on to tell us that no prophecy of Scripture came into being by the will of man, but through the Holy Spirit.
Do I trust my Holy Interpreter today?
If I do, how will I approach my day? How will I work? How will I speak with others?
His language or mine? I'll take His.
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 9:45 PM
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