ACTS 22

"Having received the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became quiet. Acts 21:40-22:2

How important is it to give a message in the language the other person understands? We loose a lot in a message when the other person does not really know what is being said. Unfortunately not many of us are proficient in other languages. Then we do the Charades dance to try to get them to understand or get an interpreter.

Paul was about to be stoned by an angry crowd. His life was at stake here. To be sure the crowd understood him clearly, he spoke in their familiar language. It saved his life. I think these two chapters leave us two important messages. First, when the Holy Spirit says NO, there is a reason. He was entering very dangerous territory. So when we get a warning, we need to pay close attention and be prepared. Secondly, we need to speak in a language that is understood. Listening to the Holy Spirit and understanding what is said can save our life.