Therefore, those who speak in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret. If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind isn’t productive. What should I do? I’ll pray in the Spirit, but I’ll pray with my mind too; I’ll sing a psalm in the Spirit, but I’ll sing the psalm with my mind too. After all, if you praise God in the Spirit, how will the people who aren’t trained in that language say “Amen!” to your thanksgiving, when they don’t know what you are saying? You may offer a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I’d rather speak five words in my right mind than speak thousands of words in a tongue so that I can teach others. Brothers and sisters, don’t be like children in the way you think. Well, be babies when it comes to evil, but be adults in your thinking. In the Law it is written: I will speak to this people with foreign languages and foreigners’ lips, but they will not even listen to me this way, says the Lord. So then, tongues are a sign for those who don’t believe, not for those who believe. But prophecy is a sign for believers, not for those who don’t believe. So suppose that the whole church is meeting and everyone is speaking in tongues. If people come in who are outsiders or unbelievers, won’t they say that you are out of your minds? But if everyone is prophesying when an unbeliever or outsider comes in, they are tested by all and called to account by all. The secrets of their hearts are brought to light. When that happens, they will fall on their faces and worship God, proclaiming out loud that truly God is among you! (1 Corinthians 14:13-25, CEB)
We use a lot of insider language in the church. We talk about grace, mercy, hermeneutics, and other big words that don’t always translate to non church speak.
Paul is telling the Corinthians if they pray in tongues that is great, but if they can’t understand it or those around who hear it can’t understand it it really isn’t feeding them.
We need to say things so people hear them and understand them.
We need to say things in a way that God’s love is made known to those who may never have heard or know about it.
How can we speak the love in a language everyone can understand?
Love out loud!
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 