A Different Language

If you’re a Christian, and even if you’re not, you need to read Marvin Olasky’s piece (registration req’d) in this week’s World Magazine. Olasky demonstrates an aspect of why the world has such a hard time when dealing with Christians: it’s because they don’t speak the same language. Almost everyone today is so ignorant of the Bible that does little good to speak of biblical things as if everyone knew what Christians were talking about. Olasky observes:

What’s to be done? Biblical Christians (and orthodox believers in Judaism and other faiths) need to remember that to most leaders in media and academia we are speaking a foreign language; we need to be bilingual and to offer translation services. Media and academic monolingualists need to realize that understanding evangelical language and culture requires at least as much work as understanding a foreign language and culture. They need interpreters and guides. And I need to remember to be patient.

I, too, need to remember to be patient.