Dabbling in Spanish and Other Things

Estudio español todas los años de mi vida, pero no cada dia. Puedo hablo espanol pero no es bueno. I clearly remember being 10 years old and finding my mother’s old Spanish textbook. My sister and I looked over the first page of vocabulary words and proceeded to recite with each other, “Hola Juan. Como esta usted?” “Bien gracias. Y usted?” I’ve dabbled in learning it ever since then. Prior to traveling to Mexico (which I love to do) I tend to begin my studying with a fresh vigor, which usually declines after I return home.

My daughter, though not fluent, reads and speaks Spanish very well. When I need help, she meets with me because she knows I learn better when there is a teacher and accountability. Sure I can read my many Spanish textbooks and listen to my tapes, but the information sticks better when I am practicing with someone else every week. I could join a class, but who has that kind of time…? I’m pretty busy…, right?

How different is that from life within and around the church? There are those who spend most of their lives in the church, but only dabble in Bible study or Sunday school classes. Some attend worship pretty regularly but view it as doing that one hour of duty to the church that week. Some attend when they feel it is necessary, especially when they need help. I’m not saying that going to church in a time of need is a bad thing. On the contrary, it is a great thing. But too often people either get their prayer answered and return to their “normal” lives, or they get discouraged that God is not answering their prayer according to their timetable or in the way they choose, so they search for answers someplace else. Sure, people can read and study the Bible on their own. They can watch the T.V. preachers on Sunday and call that worship. They can enjoy nature’s beauty at the golf course or the deer stand and call it “worship”, but these things on their own do not build one up in knowledge of God and what it means to be the body of Christ. They could join a community of faith and meet regularly with them, … but who has that kind of time…? They are pretty busy… right?

There must be a reason God set mankind up to be communal creatures. We need each other to keep each other fed, clothed and nurtured. Christ’s followers, the church, is called the body of Christ to give us a picture of how Christian believers are to be joined together as a whole and unified community of faith. Together, we share knowledge and experience. Together we have accountability and encourage each other. We even have local churches where we can regularly join together with other believers to worship, learn, mature, persevere, and love others. The local church is not a place of mere duty, but a place where the family of God comes together out of a sense of joy, responding to God’s love. So, it is not just a question of who has time for church or who has time to do anything there besides that one hour of Sunday pew-warming. Perhaps the God who loves us enough to create us in His own image, and enough to give us eternal life through His Son, and enough to continually offer us a relationship as His beloved children, … perhaps this God is worth more than one hour a week, more than a sporadic prayers for rescue, and more than the change we toss into the plate. Perhaps, if our omnipotent Father set up the church for our benefit, maybe church is a big deal after all.

Du betest. Usted ora. Vous priez. Lei prega. Pray! Take time this week to communicate with your Father in heaven and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to where He wants you to be within the body of Christ.