Speaking a Different Language

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S (Scripture): 1 Corinthians 2:12 We haven’t received the world’s spirit but God’s Spirit so that we can know the things given to us by God. 13 These are the things we are talking about—not with words taught by human wisdom but with words taught by the Spirit—we are interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But people who are unspiritual don’t accept the things from God’s Spirit. They are foolishness to them and can’t be understood, because they can only be comprehended in a spiritual way. 15 Spiritual people comprehend everything, but they themselves aren’t understood by anyone. 16 Who has known the mind of the Lord, who will advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.

O (Observation): Paul teases apart the ways of speaking with people who have been transformed by the Spirit compared to those who have not been changed by the Spirit. To speak in ways that call on people to share with one another and to give is not normal. That does not compute for someone not transformed by the Spirit.

Having the mind of Christ makes a difference!

A (Application): So much of what we argue about these days generates from our differences in our spiritual lives (or lack thereof). We can not argue for social justice policies with people who have a spiritual background different from ours (if they even have a spiritual background).

And a spiritual background causes us to have a spiritual vocabulary.

So what do we discuss when we use different vocabulary and language?

How about human life?!

The value of each human life. The potential for goodness and health and well-being. The potential for damage when we insist upon our spiritual vocabulary over and against someone else’s vocabulary.

In America, we are a people who claim that every person here has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Maybe we can find a common language…a spiritual Rosetta Stone, if you will. I believe that was what Paul was striving to be. A living stone. A loving Rosetta Stone…so that spiritual and non-spiritual alike can converse.

P (Prayer): Lord, help us listen. Help us speak. Amen.