Communication, more then just words

Birthday parties here are so different then in America. My little host brother, Eduardo, just turned ten. We had a party for him last Saturday. It wasn’t just his friends, rather his friends and their whole families. There was literally at least one person from every present generation at this party. It was so much fun! I love hanging out with the adults because they like to talk to me, and its funny to try and talk with them. The difficulty of talking is multiplied at party however. It is hard to filter out the other noises and other conversations and just focus on one sound wave. But none the less, I had a great time, ate lots of chocolate and fried little appetizer things filled with chicken and cheese! (I forgot what they are called. But if there is a party, those little guys are there). However, I also can sympathize with the introvert a little better now. It is very draining to be at a party around a lot of people and trying to talk with them. My brain hurt and I was dead tired by the end. I am starting to understand the very unfamiliar world of intravertism.

I also experienced a Brasilian thunder storm (more like a hurricane) last weekend. Boy does is storm here! It may not rain very often (At least not during this part of the year) but when it does, it rains hard! The huge drops, which were more like marbles then water drops, cut through the air and drenched everything. The wind swished loose material through the streets and twisted tree branches. The thunder shook buildings and the lightning was blinding! I LOVED IT. Haha it was frightening, but there is something about thunderstorms that I love.

God has also continued to teach me. The phrase “actions speak louder than words” has a whole new meaning to me now. I’ve been thinking a lot recently about communication. What it is, what it entails, how I use it, how I should use it, and so on. Communication, I realized, for humans is like what a race horse is for a jockey, or a sharp knife for a prep cook, or a hammer for a builder. Because of my lack of Portuguese skills, I’ve been struggling with the idea of how to communicate Jesus to those around me without saying anything. Through this process I have come to see how communication is so much more then just words. I have realized that I am not limited because of my lack of speech rather the order of normal communication has been switched for me. Instead of starting with words that lead to actions, I have to start with actions that lead to words. I cannot have the easy way out like I did back home where I knew the language. I see how much I used to say about what the world needs and what we need to do about it. But much of it was merely philosophy that I never put into practice. Well here I have to start at the other side. I have to start with showing them what needs to be done. I have to start living how I say we need to live. This, however, is incredibly hard. And I have fallen many times. I have not been the example that I should have. However, God has reassured me with His words in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”. I know that God works even in my failures and my weakness, but also that He wants me to “be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2). I see that through these things, I can communicated Jesus to the dyeing world around me. While verbal normally comes before behavior, I must walk it now, and talk it later. I understand now how important the “doing” part of communication is. I knew it before, but now I truly am starting to understand. I think it is a big problem within Christianity today. Saying what needs to be done, but doing nothing about it. We can say we have faith in the Lord, but where are the works to show it? Just like is says in James 2
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?”
1 John 3:17-18
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”


What are your actions communicating to the world?