It is truly amazing how acts of mercy can break through any language barrier.
I experienced this when I was a junior in College, on a month-long mission’s trip I took to Ukraine.
My team visited a run-down village and foster home—both of which were filled with children who spoke a mix of Ukrainian and Romanian.
While we had translators to relay Bible stories to the kids, some of my favorite memories happened one-on-one, when we had to rely on body language and posture for communication.
It was during these moments where our mutual love for Christ was our only means of connection—and the bond that sprung from that ran deeper than I ever knew it could!
I was reminded of those sweet times when listening to The Mercy Minute this week as Don Stephens shared a story about a nurse onboard who was holding a baby with small bandages on his upper lip.
The nurse gently rocked the baby up and down as she whispered “one, two, three, kiss!” The she kissed him on top of the head and began singing in her language—Norwegian. The baby didn’t understand the words, but he recognized the soothing lullaby of love as he trustingly rested his head on her shoulder.
Don challenges listeners to not only share Christ in our everyday means of communication—but to be fluent in God’s international language of love and mercy.
And what a gift it is that the love of Christ truly does bind all things together—shared language or not—in perfect unity (Colossians 3:14).
What a beautiful reminder — I want to squeeze that baby.