Eating Those Crumbs

 Good Morning All,

 I promised you something less 'compelling' from the last couple of weeks, so here you are.  Maybe it will elicit a (holy, of course) smile.

 When we lived in Africa about a hundred years ago, we were in our 20’s, and so were classified by the Mission board as “youth workers”, sent off we went into the wild unknown. Being young ourselves, we had the energy to be full on with all the kids.  

 There was one particularly happy group we love to visit at the school where we were also teachers.  If you’ve ever been to Africa, you'll know these people can SING, most often without the benefit of instruments!

 We always looked forward to sitting in on many rehearsals for the “Mufilira Gentleman’s Most Excellent Choir”.  Fancy names, but believe me, it fit these young men. They were excellent, no contest there.

 We used to giggle to ourselves over their minor mistakes in English, until we realized that they were speaking in their third or fourth language.

 Our favourite was a rousing song about Jesus's famous parable regarding the beggar Lazarus who died and went to heaven. There, as Lazarus lounged on the bosom of Abraham, his former master, the rich man, began a conversation with the Patriarch. 

 As you probably recall, the man begs Him to let Lazarus come and give him a drink, or better yet go back and warn his brothers that they better get their act together (Luke 16:19-31).

 The words to the song went something like this.  Imagine a chest swelling 100 voice baritone symphony of music filling the room.

 “Poor man Lazarus, poor and disabled"........(dramatic pause)

 "He had to eat crumbs from the rich man's STABLE ………”

 That last part sounded a little … well, not quite right, but we chalked it up to the African accent. Then we caught a glimpse of the song sheet they were using and had to stifle a laugh. The words went: “He had to eat crumbs from the rich man’s … TABLE.”

We started to let it go, but finally pointed it out to the choir. They were grateful, but in later discussions concluded that STABLE crumbs are definitely worse than TABLE crumbs, so we left them deliberating whether or not they'd  change it!

Ah, the vagaries of languages, the hilarious mistakes (and we can write a book) of one syllable mistakes that change everything.

And speaking of 'crumbs from the stable' let me reminisce to another teeny little mistake.   

We had a dear missionary friend in our town in Northern Japan.  One day (as he told us later) he found himself preaching (in Japanese) to 1500 “Most excellent Gentlemen” at a prestigious boys school.  His theme to this mass assemblage of boys was about how God made cows, who as dumb animals were happy to stand around all day eating grass, but God had created US with higher expectations.  A very good sermon.  The boys were particularly tuned in that day.

Later in the staff lounge, the English teacher came and congratulated him on such a relevant sermon.  My friend basked in his praise ……. until the teacher added, “I love how you gave the example of the cows not giving a thought about eating (insert 'crumbs from the stable' here) all day!

Crestfallen beyond repair (since the teacher had even gleefully shouted out the profane word).  Later,  he went home and read what he had said. He discovered that the word for “grass” is KUSA.  The thing you pick up when walking your dog is KUSO.  Just one letter different!

Things like this really underscores the truth of the Apostle Paul’s words in 2nd Corinthians 5:13-15, 

“If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

Unfortunately, I had to recall this verse so many times in my own life and struggles with the language. Somehow, I have to think the Japanese appreciated my efforts and loved me for giving them a good reason to guffaw from time to time.  

Till next time, be strong and if you make a mistake, know that God can use it somehow.

I'd love to hear your stories!!

Marsha