December 12

As I got out of bed this morning, I looked over at Lambie --who was draped across Adam's pillow-- and murmured "good morning" in his direction. And then a strange and startling sound-byte made its way across my mind: if he couldn't hear, he'd have no idea that I'd just acknowledged him.

Silly though it seemed (since Lambie's a stuffed animal so of course he can't hear), the thought felt profound so I chewed on it for a while. And then it gradually started to make sense.

I think a lot of times, we try to do things for other people in our own native languages. I like coffee, so of course I appreciate coffee-related gifts. But my friend Terry doesn't like coffee at all, so she wouldn't like those things as much. (I mean, knowing her I know she'd appreciate the gesture, but the physical items? Not so much.) And that's because coffee is my native language, not hers. Terry's languages are, among others, tea and needlepoint and poodles. So when I acknowledge her love of those things, I'm speaking not my language, but hers. And learning someone else's language in order to show them care is just what Jesus calls us to do every single day. Speak your own language, sure, but also take the time to learn the languages of those around you.

So today, I'm grateful for random morning thoughts that birth nuggets of wisdom.