I interrupt the study I’ve been doing on “the words of my mouth,” in order to share a few lessons learned from my Cuban brothers and sisters. This past week, we had the privilege of taking a team of seven into Cuba on religious visas to lead a pastor’s conference (wives and other church leaders included), hold evangelistic services at night (yes, you read that right), and encourage our faithful believing siblings in Hope and a Good Word. We went to be teachers…evangelists…leaders. We became the taught, the reminded, and the led. In all the years I’ve been privileged to be a missionary, I find this to be the case. I need these humbling, gentle nudges from The Lord.
What I want to share is both a blessing for me, as a speaker, but most definitely, a conviction at the same time. First day, of the first of three women’s conferences, a gal I recognizedf rom last year came up to me. Even though my translator was very close, it was obvious this gal had spent some time practicing her English, as she said to me, “My favorite teacher. I am your disciple.” What a great gift she passed to me that moment! My heart swelled in emotion… Yet that wasn’t all. She went on, in Spanish, using the translator, close at hand. As she continued, she held out a notebook, which I recognized as the one we had given out the previous year. Her words: “Look! Your notes from last year. All of them. I have been teaching them to the women in all our churches.” Her writing was immaculate, but the ink was beginning to fade, and the paper so worn. There was no question that she had spent multiple hours in those notes.
However, she wasn’t the only one to share that story. Those words were repeated in different ways from multiple women, in multiple venues. It humbled me. Not only was I acutely aware of the responsibility I have to speak truth, but so aware of how much value is placed on the Word. I am asked overand over for copies of my notes, though I rarely speak from notes (a basic outline, yes). As I listened to these gals assuring me that the words from The Word I had spoken to them were incredibly helpful to them, and they were still passing them on, it made me ask myself some questions:
How much do I truly value the Word?
How often do I take the teachings I am so privileged to receive in abundance, and pass those on to others?
How eagerly do I come to church, or conferences, ready to hear from The Lord?
How often do I let a critical spirit stand between Truth-spoken and Truth-received, because someone doesn’t speak in a style I relate to…or enjoy…?
Yet, I don’t even speak the language of these women! It takes twice as long to say what I have come to say! I don’t understand their culture well, and they don’t know mine… But their hunger for the Word and the God-of-the-Word, superseded all of those things. How challenged I was by their delight in truth. How they have spurred me on to appreciate and to pray for a deeper longing for God’s Word. For days now, this verse has been swimming through my head:
