Daily Devotional – August 22

 

ITS GREEK TO ME

“Good day, Sir! I speak English very well!”

“You do?!” I replied. 

“Thank goodness!  I’m not from here and I don’t speak Indonesian.” I explained.  “But I need him to understand,” I pointed at the rattley cab and its driver, “that I need to go to the Singh Parrot in Jakarta.”

The man standing in front of me broke out in a toothless grin. “Ah!” he said. “I speak English very well!”

“That’s great!” I replied.  “Could you tell him where I need to go?  I am in somewhat of a hurry.”

Another smile.

“I speak English very well!  Good day, Sir!”

I stood there bewildered as he turned and walked away.   Then it dawned on me.  Given the proximity of our military base, evidently some of our service men had taught this man these few English words.  

“Fu-nny.”  I thought.

I looked back at the cab driver who had watched the whole exchange with a puzzled expression on his face.   He shrugged, smiled sheepishly and drove off.

I am ever impressed at the scholarship of men who resort to the Greek to make a point while preaching out of an English Bible.  I am often more impressed when they correctly interpret what the simple English says.   Because God realized that many non-Greeks like you and me desire to know and understand his Word he very capably provided it in our own language. 

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Our God knows ALL languages and has no problem communicating in them, and unlike the old man in Indonesia–He TRULY speaks English very well.