Blog 050210
Not all, but many Americans have expressed an incendiary frustration over the influx of Latinos into this country. Long before the attacks on September 11, 2001, many have felt challenged by our neighbors from the south flying, figuratively speaking, into local businesses; however this is only a mid-1960’s to present day development. Latino immigration is a relatively new issue within the context of U.S. immigration.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation notes: “American immigration history can be viewed in four epochs: the colonial period, the mid-nineteenth century, the turn of the twentieth century, and post-1965. Each epoch brought distinct national groups-and races and ethnicities-to the United States . During the 17th century, approximately 175,000 Englishmen migrated to Colonial America” (Leaving England: The Social Background of Indentured Servants in the Seventeenth Century).
In light of this, there may not be a legitimate reason for the anger or bitterness which at times is directed toward Latinos. It is true that illegal immigration is….illegal; therefore, supporting American laws is right. It is true that persons should not illegally enter a nation. Therefore, it is true that many American and European Christian missionaries were offenders. But such is for the law to address, not frustrated citizens. Articulating one’s frustration by demanding that persons who dwell here, must speak as those who live here may not be right.
If I were looking to relocate to Ethiopia , it would make sense for me to learn the local language, Amharic. But for persons in Ethiopia to rage against me because of a perceived lack of development or the slow pace by which I learned would be unkind. What is the point? There should be only one reason for people to feel emotional over the language issue….Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection is that reason.
A song in heaven, sang by angels begins this way: ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation….” (Revelation 5:9)
God has made it a priority to reach each language. It is evident that Christ-ones, in relation to God’s will, exist to reach people groups for the glory of God. In light of this, Christians should not expect others to speak their language, but we are to learn another’s language.
What if we don’t learn another’s language? Are we bad Christians? Fortunately, we are saved by grace, and God’s desire for nations does not, in my opinion, impose a legalistic mandate for a believer to learn every language within his sphere of influence. However, the heart of a believer prefers to reach the lost, rather than to wait for the lost to reach the believer.
Christian…learn the language.