First Things First

I think that everyone would agree with the adage that we should put first things first. Even though all might agree on this as an obvious truth, it does not tell us what things are really to be first.
I can remember when I felt that learning the language well was essential to being able to deliver the message of the Gospel to the people in a land where they spoke a different language. Common sense says that knowing the language will make you a more acceptable communicator and friend. One day I met Carl Matthews. Carl was a veteran missionary who served in Brazil for many years. In spite of the fact that he had been in Brazil many years, he had never learned the language well. Someone said that when Carl spoke Portuguese, it was like he was saying, “Me Tarzan, You Jane.”
In spite of his lack of language skills, Carl could walk into the office of the president of the country and talk at length with his old friend. If the ABWE missionaries wanted something done in the capital, they would send Carl to get it done because he was friends with every government official. He loved Brazilians with all his heart and they knew it. There are some people who have become great linguists, but have never become great lovers of the people.
Learning to love a people is not the easiest thing to learn to do. It must come from the heart and there is no way that you can fake it. You may say nice things, but if you don’t really feel a heartfelt love for the people you will just be a phony and they will know it.
The wonderful part of this is that when we learn to love a people with the real love of Christ, we will be doing just what Christ told us us to do. All the gimmicks in the world will not replace this real love of Christ. I believe that learning the language is very important and that we can demonstrate our love for the people by working hard to learn their language, but it will never replace the first thing. We must learn to love and then we will know whatever else it is that God wants us to know.