Lost in translation

There are hundreds of great signs like this all over the Internet. In fact I found a sight that is just about the problems of communications.

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It's funny, but it's all the result of the language barrier that God put in place at a tower a long time ago.

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Now we struggle to communicate. I'm facing that this coming week as I prepare to teach in Crimea on the Black Sea. I know I will face this very thing- saying one thing and having it come out completely different. It's a great challenge to make sure that what I said is what they heard.

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A number of years ago I was in Haiti preaching and my translator seemed to translate much more than I said. I would talk for 30 seconds and he would translate for 2 minutes. I started to get suspicious, and so I asked another translator who was with us, "Is he saying what I'm saying?" He replied, "No, not really." In fact, what was happening was this translator was a pastor as well, and he was using these times to simply preach what he wanted to say. He made no attempt to translate what I said at all! When I caught on I said to him, "From now on you only say what I say, ok?" He was surprised that I figured it out, and sheepishly agreed. From then on it seemed his translations were much shorter. It's funny how many hurdles language has placed between us.

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So my big challenge this week is to communicate. I have trouble doing that in English, imagine using a translator! I hope most of what I say doesn't come out like this sign.....lost in translation.

Saturday's cartoon

In fairness to both sides here's Dave's cartoon for Saturday. I was surprised and impressed with McCain's selection as a running mate. I wish I could have heard the discussion about this when the Obama team heard who would be the Republican running mate. I got a chance to listen to her thoughts and comments yesterday. Very impressive! She will be a great addition to the race for president. Now this will be an interesting contest!

Boy have things changed!

This will date me, but please indulge me to be amazed at the changes. I still remember saving my paper route money as a 10 year old boy to be able to buy a 6 transistor BATTERY operated AM radio. I remember the great day when my dad and I went to the electronics store and I bought my radio, much like this one, and some D batteries to run it. It was an amazing thing- a battery operated transistor radio! It was a great acquisition for me....to have my own battery operated radio I controlled. It was great. I still remember my late nights laying in bed with my radio as I went to sleep....slowly moving the dial and finding AM radio stations in New York, New Orleans, Chicago and I even found one in Mexico one time. What a great adventure to be able to travel to distant places with my radio and listen to all that was going on in distant parts of the world. It was a magical experience.

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What a difference a few decades makes. This week I had to get a new cell phone (they didn't exist when I was 10), and my wife encouraged me to get a Blackberry (it was a fruit when I was 10). It's a great tool. It has my whole computer database linked to it (personal computers didn't exist when I was 10), and it also has Internet available through the phone (which didn't exist when I was 10- the internet I mean). I can even send e-mails from my phone (which didn't exist when I was 10, we had to use letters and stamps!). I went to the store after getting the phone and got a memory card about the size of a fingernail that holds 2 gig of memory (which didn't exist when I was 10, but if it had it would have filled up an office building). There is more, but I think you get the idea.

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It's amazing how much has changed and become commonplace to us that didn't exist only a few years ago. The one thing that always stays the same is that things change! Change is part of our world. The motto used in my business days was, "keep up or get out of the way!" Culture, life, technology and change will continue. In 10 years there will be new things considered commonplace that don't exist now.

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With all the change there is also a mindset that what I think about absolutes must change too. Truth must change because everything else does. But the reality is that there are some things that will never change- the heart of man, our need for a savior, God's desire that we come to him in faith, the reliability of the bible, the nature and character of God himself. In a changing world, which is changing before our eyes, we have a rock to stand on which never changes. The changes we are seeing can make your head spin at times. They are happening so quickly we can lose direction, and yet God's word and his promises are the same because although change is the reality of our world our basic need for God has never changed. We still need him to be our savior, our rock, our God who says HE will never change. At least one good thing will never change, and that will give us something to hold onto in times like these.

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Simferopol

I love to travel. I think I got that gene from my mom. In a few weeks I'm flying to Kiev and then to Simferopol on the Black Sea to help one of our missionaries teach a conference for staff members in this part of the world. I had never heard of this city until the trip was planned, but I'm really looking forward to this trip. It will be a great treat for me to invest in the lives of other believers I haven't met yet. I am looking forward to meeting these people and spending time with them. I can't wait to see what God will do on this trip.
I will also get to see my friend, Volodia in Kiev. I've told him I'm coming, and although he doesn't have much, his first e-mail back to me wrote, "you must come and eat dinner at my house." The bible tells us that when we come to him we will have more "family" than we could ever imagine. Volodia, part of the family of God, is part of my family. How amazing it is to have friends around the world who all gather around the cross in a common fellowship of love for Christ and love for one another. I am so grateful for all that God has done to bring us together as members of his family.
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If you think of it would you pray for me?

The ever present sense of doom

I thought it was funny that someone would make a brass plaque with this wording on it. There is no promise of a solution here, but only the reality that the world is against me. I know we have all felt this way at times, and that's the very reason why David wrote Psalm 37. What is the purpose of this plaque? Where is it posted? How does it help me? It's just very odd to me to think about someone crafting, making and displaying the problem without a solution, but that is the reality of the world without God's answer to our problems.
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In Psalm 37 David speaks of this very fear of dread...the dread of what might be...and then he gives wonderful instructions to God followers in how to respond to this sense of doom. Here's David's instructions-
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Psa 37:1 A David psalm. Don't bother your head with braggarts or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
Psa 37:2 In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.
Psa 37:3 Get insurance with GOD and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last.
Psa 37:4 Keep company with GOD, get in on the best.
Psa 37:5 Open up before GOD, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done:
Psa 37:6 He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.
Psa 37:7 Quiet down before GOD, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.
Psa 37:8 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes--it only makes things worse.
Psa 37:9 Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; GOD-investors will soon own the store.
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I love this passage. It gives wonderfully clear directions in what to do when that sense of doom comes over you. When everything around you tells you that the world is crumbling and all hope is lost....trust in God. He's fully in charge and doing quite fine, thank you.

The role of a Christian in politics

We live in a very strange country indeed. It's one of the few countries in history where the people have a voice in the election of leaders and the work of government. For centuries countries have been ruled by kings and dictators and your only hope was that the ruler would be kind. There was very little chance that the citizens would have a voice in how things were done, but not so here. For more than 200 years we have been part of the government by voting for our elected officials. We take it for granted, but it's not the norm in time or history.

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I got this question on a previous post and it's a perfect time to address it, here's the question:

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"How should Christians think about or participate in things like elections, governmental affairs, worldy affairs, etc...?"

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Benjamin Franklin said, “God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” –Constitutional Convention of 1787 original manuscript of this speech (from Portrait of Ben Franklin)

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There is an interesting balance between personal responsibility and divine sovereignty. As Christians we know that God rules on planet earth. He elevates one and brings down another. The governments that exist are there because God has placed them there. But in the midst of this is our part in his work. We are divinely in a country where we are allowed to be part of the government by our vote. Our responsibility? We must pray, and then vote. Vote for the person you believe is the right person to lead our country, but do it knowing that in the background God is orchestrating the election to accomplish his will. It's a strange thing to be involved by our vote and yet know that God will put the man in office he wants.

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Again, let me quote the question once more- "How should Christians think about or participate in things like elections, governmental affairs, worldy affairs, etc...?" One of the misconceptions we have in the Christian community is that we can make our country Christian by our voice and our vote. Let me resolve this by saying that there is no such thing as a Christian country. There are only countries where Christians live and their presence changes the country around them. Our job is NOT to change government, although we should do all we can to participate, our job is to change lives....one life at a time. You cannot change a country or the people in it with laws. You can only change the heart by leading a man to faith in Christ and that changed heart and life will change his little world. It's a battle done one heart at a time.

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As a citizen do all you can to influence our country for good, but know you will not make it a Christian country. That battle is fought one heart at a time. Where we have gone wrong is to think that if we can change the law we will change our country. It's only as we change lives does our country change, so do both- vote and voice your opinion in government, but don't forget to pray for and share your faith with your neighbor next door. It's the second choice done one life at a time that will change a country.

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Footnote- My brilliant fellow pastor, Brent added this comment that must move to the content of the post, "You forgot to mention that another role we play is to pray for all those who are in authority--that we may live peacefully--and to be subject to rulers and authorities. Those are in The Bible somewhere..."

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Brent is absolutely right! How could I forget that? Thanks, Brent.

Monday's cartoon

Welcome to the Democratic convention week. All eyes will be on Denver this week as they choose their candidate for president. It's interesting that they are calling their candidate "the chosen one." This cartoon from the Seattle Post captures all the drama and characters we will see this week. I'm glad that God is in charge of all of this. Knowing that we have a sovereign God makes all of this madness called "election year" much easier to endure.

Good news!

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Our son, Ian, called tonight to tell us good news....he and his wife, Tiffany, are going to have a baby! We are excited for them and so I thought I would tell you as well.

Amazed once more...

On my way home from church tonight I was listening to the radio and got in on an interview with one of the Hubble telescope scientists. It was fascinating to hear him talk about the things they have discovered. What got me excited was his description of what he called "ultra deep field scans." This is how he described these scans: he said they would look for the darkest part of the sky, the place where there was nothing but black, then they would aim the Hubble at that spot and open the lens for an extended period of time. He described two scans, one that lasted 10 days and another one that lasted 30 days. What they found amazed them. In a place where it was completely black they saw millions of stars exposed by the open lens of the Hubble over time. The photos of these scans can be seen on the Hubble site. What amazed me is how vast the universe is and yet we are still discovering how much bigger it is than we ever knew. You could hear the excitement of the scientist as he was describing these discoveries.
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My thoughts ran to a verse in the bible that not only talks about the creation of the universe, but also show how great God is by what a small emphasis he puts on the stars themselves. Here's how he describes it,
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Gen 1:16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.
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The more we discover the greater our amazement at the vastness of the universe, but God describes it as an afterthought....as if to say, "oh yeah, and I made the stars too." The way God describes the creation of the universe makes God even bigger in my mind. A universe so vast that it overwhelms us is just an afterthought to the one who made it.
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If he can do that then he can take care of my little problems.

A work in process

I'm not finished yet. One of the things I know about my life is that I'm a work in process.....God is molding me into what he wants me to be. I often feel his hands on my life molding me, shaping me, pushing me against my will to be what HE wants me to be. It's hard to trust the hands of the potter, but he clearly can and will do what he wants to do to make me into the vessel he has in mind. He's making me into someone who makes HIM look good. He wants people to say, when they see me, "who made that work of art, what a beautiful creation, what an amazing artist God is!" My task is to let him mold me. I'm not good at letting him mold me. My task is to let him decide what this work of art called my life is to look like. I'm not good at letting someone else decide what my life looks like. The bible clearly uses the picture of a potter and clay to describe my relationship with the creator of the universe. Often I try to change places with him and be the potter myself and mold HIM into what I want him to be. He will not trade roles with me, but will continue to work in my life until he's finished...until I'm finished. It's frustrating to be "in process", but it's exciting to know that the artist of my life has a wonderful work of art in mind when he's done. And he's doing that same thing in each of our lives.

"Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hands..." Jeremiah 18:6

Saturday's cartoon

Even animals have more compassion...

Argentine dog saves abandoned baby
By Daniel Schweimler BBC News, Buenos Aires
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"La China has become a celebrity in her shanty town (Photo courtesy of Clarin)
An eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing him safely alongside her own new puppies.
The country's media are calling him "the miracle baby".
He was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires.
She is said to have panicked and abandoned the boy in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish.
Then along came La China, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried him 50m to place him alongside her own puppies.
The dog's owner heard the child crying and found him covered with a rag.
The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had some slight injuries, but no bite marks. The owner called the police and the child is now being looked after by the authorities, while a decision is taken about his future...."
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When I read this story my first thought became the title of this entry...even animals have more compassion. Animals take care of their young and nourish them, protect them and feed them. How amazing that the creatures on planet earth created in God's image, who know right and wrong, are neglecting, abandoning and even killing their young. We have come to a sad day in culture when the animals are more compassionate than the people around them, but that, in fact, is the time we live in.

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It gives us as Christians great opportunity to show the love of Christ to a lost world because when you shine the love of Christ into the dark cave of a fallen world the difference is dramatic! Now, more than ever, our love and mercy for those around us is important. Now, more than ever, our care for those around us makes an impact on a world where mercy, love and grace are in short supply. Now the love of Christ demonstrated through us can be clearly seen, and so, as Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

A smile for the middle of the week...

I "borrowed" this from my friend, Iggy. It is funny and made me smile, and I hope it does the same for you. I wonder what life with animals will be like when the fall is finally lifted. I wonder what we will know about them that will surprise us. At the moment I'm amazed at both trainer and Walrus for this fun video.

MORE bad news....

Boy, this is a really bad news day, and this next item only makes it worse.

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What a dark day when.....

"Maker of Snickers and M&Ms is raising prices"

Exclusive: Incredulous UN Bans Criticism of Islam

The bible speaks of a one world religion in the last days and here it comes! It might surprise you the chosen religion of the UN, but it's now official. As a Christian I am now in trouble if I share my faith with anyone from this new "one world religion." Welcome to the last days! Here's the article so you will know where we are in time and history -Mike

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August 14, 2008
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"The Human Rights Council at the United Nations has now banned any criticism regarding Sharia Law and human rights in the Islamic World. According to President Doru Romulus Costea - and following the efforts of delegates from Egypt, Pakistan and Iran - the Council will no longer tolerate criticism of either Sharia or specific fatwas in the name of human rights.In many parts of the Islamic world, it is becomingly increasing clear not only that the Koran (the written record of the original oral transmissions of Mohammad’s life teachings) and the Hadith (the later delineations of those teachings) are considered sacrosanct in their perfection, but also the various implementations of these teachings, known as Sharia Law. No evolution or refinements are required. No matter that nearly every multitudinous Muslim sect or group has a differing interpretation of this God-given Sharia Law. Nor that the stoning to death of women, beheading of men, and all the 6th century niceties of feudal Arabia are still part and parcel of the immovable Islamic tradition. Never mind that Sunni will decimate Shia - and vice versa - over differences of interpretations far more modest than those between (modern) Catholics and Protestants, between Hindus and Buddhists. Islamic sect can war on Islamic sect, Arab can criticize Arab.Because Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and all other religions are imperfect, they are fair game for any and all attacks. Since Israel, Zionism, America and the Western World were created and developed outside the Islamic World and its divine perfection, they are likewise subject to criticism.Now, not only has the Islamic God forbidden outside criticism of the Sharia Law, but the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is its enjoined messenger on earth.Of course, observers of the HRC should not be surprised. The ostensibly prestigious body has become a revolving door for countries with an ambivalent (or even well nigh invisible) relationship with freedom and democracy. In the two years following its replacement of the equally dictatorship-friendly Human Rights Commission, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia have all been elected to the Council. As a majority of the Council’s resolutions are concerned with Israel, it would effectively cease functioning were it not for its compulsive focus on the Jewish state.Due to this resolution the Council - and thus, perversely, the UN - is endorsing a worldview in which human interpretation and understanding has been placed beyond the pale of critical thinking and investigation as long as it’s part of Sharia Law or the Islamic tradition. Perhaps we should rename the United Nations and call it the “Nations of Islam - United in Unique and Ineffable Perfection.” Sounds appropriate."

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FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Leslie Sacks is an art dealer and gallerist in Los Angeles. Feedback: editorialdirector@familysecuritymatters.org.

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