Voice

"Igual, yo te entiendo siempre! No sé porque los demás no te entienden!"

This quote proceeds from my dear friend Sol. She is saying that she always understands what I am saying (when I am speaking in Spanish of course!). She doesn't understand why others don't sometimes. This comes from a time when we had met with another group to prepare for the youth camp we are having this weekend; a combined church effort to take kids out of the city so they can be more receptive to the words of God.

The voice of God.

I listened to another sermon from Mosaic church this morning that impacted me quite a lot (I have re-typed/edited this sentence over and over, and it remains as bad as it can be. Sorry). The pastor was talking about Genesis three, specifically the part where Adam and Eve are afraid of God. They confess of their nakedness, and he says to them:

"Who told you you were naked?"

The pastor explains that there are many voices out there, and we have got to be sure we are listening to the right one.

"Who told you you are not worthy of God's love?"
"Who told you that you are not pretty?"
"Who told you that life has to be this way?"
"Who told you that you're too young?"

There are too many to name. There are too many lies out there, just waiting to vanquish us. Or sometimes, we hear a voice, and know something is not right.

"It is the voice of Jacob, but they are the hands of Esau.."

And then it got me thinking again about Spanish. Sol told me another funny thing while we prepped for the games. She talked about her sisters not listening to her; how they respond to her with contempt because she had a boyfriend at their age. It's the classic, yeah-i-dated-but-i-had-done-it-all-wrong-and-just-want-to-make-sure-you-don't type of thing. But they resist.

"Fine," she told them. "Go ask Sharayah what she thinks."

They quieted. Oh blessed teenage rebellion. We would listen to anyone outside of family during that time, no? (Some of us still don't listen very well.)

It's more than this. It's more than knowing whose voice to listen to. You can know a voice, but do you recognize it at all times?

I used to be able to find my mom in a crowded room through her cough. It's very distinct, I tell you!

And the closest friends I have here I understand the best when they speak. I have grown so accustom to their voice, that I can even pick out those little intricate details of their accent (Cordobes, or porteño, for example). But if I go for a week or more without hearing their voice, I lose the ability to understand them as clearly.

And sure, there are still moments of bad understanding, but it's because they use new vocabulary with me, and I have to ask about it. I have to pay attention, and do my part to make sure I get it.

The voice of God is a lot like that.

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Chau.