Translation truly is an art and I love the process of crafting that I go through with the translators. We take their first draft which they have shaped and molded and try to smooth out some of the bumps and fill in the holes. Although we do examine the details, we have to be careful not to cut it into pieces to dissect or we lose the beauty and meaning of the whole.
Throughout this process I am continually given the opportunity to look at verses through the eyes of the translators. One such time occured when we were looking at Luke 9:1-6. This is the instance where Jesus sends out the 12 disciples to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons. He tells them not to take anything with them such as a walking stick, a bag, food, money and clothes. Confused the translators looked at me and asked why on earth would Jesus not want them to take these things when they go? Things like walking sticks are especially useful at night in case there are snakes or another dangerous creatures around. It was a good question that I did my best to answer. I explained that Jesus wanted the disciples to trust God to provide what they needed and focus on the work he gave them to do. This was a good reminder to me as well.
As we moved on to verse four more questions arose. Why would Jesus tell the disciples to stay in one house? Were they ever allowed to leave it? Even after realizing that Jesus meant the disciples should return to the same house every evening the translators were still confused. Why would the disciples be so rude as to refuse other invitations to stay with people? Why not share the burden of hospitality by staying one night with one family, another night with another family and so on? At first I didn't know how to answer that question. It did seem reasonable for the disciples to stay with different families. However after a little more research we discovered that Jesus was trying to prevent the disciples from looking for the best place to stay but instead accepting the first invitation that was given.
These are just a couple simple examples of the creative process we go through when we work on a chapter. It's a matter of discovery, of looking at the verses from a new perspective and trying to figure out what the original perspective was. Then creatively coming up with solutions to help readers understand that perspective. The Bible can be complex and difficult to understand but it is also a beautiful work of art.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Should I Swim in the Pool or the Ocean?
During our annual conference held on the coast of Kenya last week, I managed to fit in some time for swimming. There were two choices for swimming, the wild and beautiful Indian Ocean or the calm man-made pool. Most of the time I chose to swim in the pool. The water was clean and cool and perfectly clear. I could see right to the bottom and would leisurely make my way from one end of the pool to the other. It wasn't a large pool and I felt safe playing within its borders.
On the other hand the ocean was the complete opposite of the pool. It was huge, seemingly going on forever. Large waves would break on the sand and wash up piles of seaweed. Swimming in the ocean was a guarantee to come out covered with seaweed and sand. On top of that there were little jellyfish in the water. The one time I ventured into the ocean with some friends, one of my friends got stung by a little bright blue jellyfish that landed on her arm. I narrowly missed another as I quickly made my way back to the safety of shore. After that I stuck to swimming in the pool.
But now I wonder if I missed out by avoiding the ocean. When I did swim in the ocean the warm salty water was fun to float in and I could ride the waves in to shore. And there was something amazing about being a part of something so big that sustains so much life. It reminds me of the way I live my life sometimes. I like things to be clean and clear with very defined borders. Like the safety of the pool I prefer the safety of my life the way it is right now. I know how things work and feel as if I have some measure of control.
However I feel God asking me to leave the safety of the pool and head out into the ocean. There is something big out there that He wants me to be a part of. The thing is, it's messy and dirty and even dangerous out there. I might get stung by a jellyfish or thrown to the bottom by a big wave. I might swallow a mouthful of seawater or scrape my knees on the sand. But when I'm out there, floating on the water, there is nothing more incredible than experiencing the beauty of the ocean that stretches out forever.
It might sound funny to hear a missionary talk about leaving the safety of the pool. Aren't I already out in the ocean living here in Africa serving God? It certainly felt that way when I first arrived in Tanzania. It was difficult enough to just dip my toes in the ocean at the time or maybe even wade out to my knees. But now God wants me to go in further and I'd rather retreat back to the pool. I'm ready to spend some time in the cool safety of the pool instead of facing the waves and the seaweed headed for me.
I don't think it matters where in the world we are or how we are serving God, most of us have felt like this at some point. The idea of facing overwhelming circumstances, painful events or stepping into the unknown where we can't see the bottom is more than we can handle. And yet somehow when we step out in faith we find we are floating in the midst of something bigger and more beautiful than we could have imagined.
On the other hand the ocean was the complete opposite of the pool. It was huge, seemingly going on forever. Large waves would break on the sand and wash up piles of seaweed. Swimming in the ocean was a guarantee to come out covered with seaweed and sand. On top of that there were little jellyfish in the water. The one time I ventured into the ocean with some friends, one of my friends got stung by a little bright blue jellyfish that landed on her arm. I narrowly missed another as I quickly made my way back to the safety of shore. After that I stuck to swimming in the pool.
But now I wonder if I missed out by avoiding the ocean. When I did swim in the ocean the warm salty water was fun to float in and I could ride the waves in to shore. And there was something amazing about being a part of something so big that sustains so much life. It reminds me of the way I live my life sometimes. I like things to be clean and clear with very defined borders. Like the safety of the pool I prefer the safety of my life the way it is right now. I know how things work and feel as if I have some measure of control.
However I feel God asking me to leave the safety of the pool and head out into the ocean. There is something big out there that He wants me to be a part of. The thing is, it's messy and dirty and even dangerous out there. I might get stung by a jellyfish or thrown to the bottom by a big wave. I might swallow a mouthful of seawater or scrape my knees on the sand. But when I'm out there, floating on the water, there is nothing more incredible than experiencing the beauty of the ocean that stretches out forever.
It might sound funny to hear a missionary talk about leaving the safety of the pool. Aren't I already out in the ocean living here in Africa serving God? It certainly felt that way when I first arrived in Tanzania. It was difficult enough to just dip my toes in the ocean at the time or maybe even wade out to my knees. But now God wants me to go in further and I'd rather retreat back to the pool. I'm ready to spend some time in the cool safety of the pool instead of facing the waves and the seaweed headed for me.
I don't think it matters where in the world we are or how we are serving God, most of us have felt like this at some point. The idea of facing overwhelming circumstances, painful events or stepping into the unknown where we can't see the bottom is more than we can handle. And yet somehow when we step out in faith we find we are floating in the midst of something bigger and more beautiful than we could have imagined.
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