I’m no linguistic by half, however I feel that one of our modern day challenges is that we are told “ you I can’t use this word”, people attempting to change my word use by removing words from my use, you can’t say that.   Words loosing their original sense, words been narrowed down in use.   Words such as “gay”, “grooming”, “inclusion” each one of these words seem to be losing their original sense I am being hijacked to a narrow application which means I can’t use them, so I’m told!  

Where as “gay” used to mean light-hearted and carefree, “grooming” to prepare or train for particular purpose, to look after, give neat and tidy appearance and “inclusion” an action or state of including or being included within a people group.    But each one of these words have been allocated to something else and my vocabulary has lost them, and we get misunderstood in using them.   The acceptable use of the words have become too narrow and defined toosmall.    I admit to live light, light-hearted and carefree is a wonderful life goal, while grooming people to be as Paul the apostle put its “follow me as I follow Christ”, preparing us to live life in Gods will while living loving, inclusively of all, is this not Chrst like living?   My appeal is will you return my vocabulary!

My first language is not English, it is my second my first being Welsh, I’m told I could not speak English until I hit double figures in age.   Welsh was my original language, the language of my heart so to speak.   I also noted that over the years having left Wales in 1984 there have been some changes to my ability to call this my first language.   I really haven’t used Welsh in a conversational way since the early 80’s and I found myself having some challenge even in Welsh now. I would now say that the language of the heart is that which you think in, and probably dream in. My admittance, sadly is that I now translate not from Welsh to English from my English Welsh, a scandal really?

My aim in writing this is to appeal to us that we begin to live from the same language. There are so many diverse languages, many tongues spoken. Whether we are losing our language, with simplewords being hijacked to mean narrow definitions or whether through lack of use and progression our native language becomes rusty we all still need to speak from one language.

Let me take the word inclusion, I’m not associating with theological debate this  word seems to be caught in, that is raging presently, to use it is to put your neck on the chopping block it seems.   It is not on who’s in and who’s out, who is saved and who is not, my appeal is simply Gods’ way is to include you and I, there is the love of God, God’s reach, God rains on the just and unjust.    God, to me seems very inclusive in Gods love rather that distinguish, separateness but loves all, and allows all to taste and see that God is good.     What am I  trying to communicate, in my learnt language, is that the One people may have many tongues but it has One language, the language of LOVE.   To love one another, a love that is revels the Trinitarian relationship that we have been brought through Christ into God.

Rather that loss of words lets us gain a language of love that empowers

My appeal is not for words but a language that comes from my heart one that demonstrates and reflects God.

Did not the translators have a desire and still do, that every people group should receive the scriptures in their native tongue, a grand desire.   However should not our desire be that not words but that every people group receive the language of God, love, heart language that would have an expansive vocabulary…

You and I are created by relationship “Let us Make mankind in our image and likeness”, for relationship we were created in relationship.    The language of this people group from relationship for relationship is that of love, enlargement, inclusive, dynamic speaking a language of the heart, of the heart of God, not words only.

We have a picture of God in Gen. 1 saying “Let there be”, yet what language did God speak in Gen. 1 when no language existed at that time, certainly not English or Welsh or even Hebrew, yet a language that brought about creation.   Let me suggest that light came when God “spoke”, scripture informs us that the light of God is many times brighter that the light of midday, now that is bright.    Christ is said to be the “light of the world”, could one say then that perhaps the language of Gen. 1 is Christ, Christ spoke here, a language of relationship (“who ever has seen me has seen the Father”, “Father and I are One”) which is the language of LOVE.

If we applied love more, the love that men might know there is a God, as we love one another perhaps our vocabulary would not be reductive but expansive, ever increasing.

Love is your language, love is the grid of our words, why don’t we be adventurous and expand into this next season.