translators.

Since I arrived in Thailand, I have been so grateful for translators. At the beginning, I was at the mercy of whoever could speak passable English. Now, I know enough Thai to get me into trouble (This afternoon I was looking for the razor-aisle, and the store clerk took me to the shoe department... so maybe my Thai/charades could use some improvement!) and haggle prices while shopping. However, anytime something meaningful needs to be said, a translator is needed. God gave me a thought, beginning with Bakery translating a sermon last month at LifePointBKK and culminating with the Spotswood team coming to Thailand.

Translating is a very humbling job. Your words are not your own. You can't say whatever you want or interject your own wisdom. The success of your job is based on how accurately you can re-represent what the speaker is trying to communicate. In a different context. In a different culture. They are not your thoughts or words, but they are yours to convey correctly.

The translator is simply the mouthpiece of another. (Do you see where this is going?)

2 Cor 5:20a states that, "We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us." We are His representation to the world. We are His translators! It is our duty and privilege to be given the very words of God. But they are not for us only, they are for us to share with the world. In a different context. In a different culture.

We do not add anything to God, but our lives give meat to His message. We live our lives according to the Scripture, and then we speak the truth of the Gospel. We translate grace by sharing how God has radically changed our lives. We translate His love by showing great compassion and care for our friends, strangers and even enemies. We translate justice by caring for the needs of the oppressed, the orphans and the widows.

We are daily translating something to our culture, but is it the message that God has entrusted us to share? Is the gospel being preached from our mouths and our lives on a daily basis?

Please pray that we would translate well the message of hope that Christ has given to us. It is Good News that needs to be proclaimed, heard, and understood.

Dr. Drew teaching at Church Of Joy... and Archan Thongchai translating!