Tower of Babel

There are over 5000 different languages spoken in the world. The English language alone has over 2 million words of which the typical American knows less than 2% of. It is therefore not surprising that we have trouble communicating. Even when we speak the same language, we rarely understand each other. There are often times when words are not adequate to describe a situation. That’s why languages evolve and expand. It’s amazing to think that God speaks all languages. While we make up new words and phrases to describe something, God understands, He speaks the universal language. Yet, even when we speak the same language, we will never fully understand each other. We each have different experiences and perspectives that we bring to our communicative experience.

I often struggle to find the right words to use when describing my thoughts or feelings. I struggle now, as I type. I find that I can listen to the same idea expressed over and over again but then one day someone hits it on the head, explaining it in a way that I finally understand. It’s nothing new, nothing I haven’t heard before but their communication of it hits home with me. Maybe I wasn’t ready to understand before. Words can be a powerful tool or a powerful weapon. Communication is something so vital to all aspects of this life.

Why does God make communication so difficult for us? I believe that God put the communication obstacles in our way not to make life more difficult and frustrating but because in our weakness He is made strong. The quicker we can realize that, the better off we will be. God puts obstacles in our way so that we will discover our need for Him. We try so hard to do everything on our own, never wanting to say that we can’t. The longer we fight and wrestle with God, the weaker He has to make us. Until we can submit to Him, He has to continue to put challenges in our way. He does so for our own good. It is through our submission to Him that we will finally find a peace which surpasses all understanding.