Hearing Elohim

In the age of Google translate, learning a second language might seem like a thing of the past. I hope not! Let me explain why, for humans, translation is not optional. Most of us think of translation in linguistic terms – interpreting an idea in one language and expressing it in another. Understood more broadly, however, translation has to do with the transfer of meaning. Throughout our lives we all learn to “translate” situations and people. And while learning another language has intrinsic rewards, it also imparts transferable skills that are important in this broader work of interpretation – which may, in turn, help us understand some of the ways God speaks to us. 

Learning a new language is both difficult and rewarding, as I was reminded a few years ago when I started to learn Latin. The experience felt like a treasure hunt (and still does!) because of the number of English words that derive from Latin. More recently, I began learning Hebrew, which has been a different level of challenge because it meant learning a whole new alphabet before I could start learning words. I also had to get used to reading words and sentences from right to left. 

A new language requires humility and a growth mindset. You have to communicate even when you’re unsure of the correct words or the right pronunciation. You have to be able to laugh at yourself when you make mistakes. It is disorienting and even isolating when you cannot understand what another person is saying, and when you can’t find the right words to communicate your own thoughts.  

Despite the challenges, learning a new language is a way to develop skills that extend well beyond linguistics. For example, sometimes an artist translates an emotion into a piece of music or a painting. And all of us interpret meaning out of experience, then translate it for the benefit of those around us.

The cadence of the cosmos

I will briefly mention two ways we interpret and translate our lived experiences. The first relates to the non-human creation. Scientists systematically study the physical world around us, learning the syntax of synapses and the cadence of the cosmos. The universe speaks to us of order and complexity, on a vast scale and also at a microscopic level. Not all scientists, however, interpret the evidence in the same way. Herman Bavinck, a Dutch theologian and polymath who lived in the mid-1800s and early 1900s, once wrote that scientists have “the calling to transpose [or translate] the thoughts of the Creator into human language.” He spoke of science as a form of exegesis. 

One does not need to be a trained scientist to encounter this non-verbal language of God. Psalm 19:2 indicates that creation speaks even in the absence of words: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth; their words to the ends of the world.” Romans 1:20 shares a similar theme. 

Wired for connection

If the non-human creation speaks the language of God, so, too, do the humans he created in his image. Our use of verbal language is arguably one aspect of what it means to be made in the image of God. However, we also communicate in nonverbal ways – though often without specific intent and with little awareness of what we ourselves are saying. An ability to “read” the meaning in another person’s look or gesture and to feel and interpret emotion is called interpersonal intelligence. This skill involves a kind of translation. Someone fluent in this interpersonal language is able to communicate clearly with another person – in words, yes, but also through nonverbal cues. 

Sometimes I imagine that each person I meet speaks a slightly different language. If I can approach that person with patience, curiosity and appreciation, I anticipate learning something new through the interaction. Some people’s interpersonal languages are easier to interpret and translate than others, and certain tools of psychology can help the process. 

For example, articles from the Gottman Institute describe how people constantly (but often unknowingly) offer their loved ones “bids for connection,” and how they receive the same in turn. A bid for connection happens every time we invite interaction with another person, with a word, gesture or look. John Gottman defines a bid for connection as “the fundamental unit of emotional connection,” perhaps analogous to the way words are a fundamental unit of meaning in linguistic language. A person receiving a bid for connection can accept it, ignore it or turn away from it. Without an awareness of such bids, we often unknowingly ignore or reject them. Yet very small moments can greatly impact – for good or for ill – whether or not we feel seen and appreciated. As we learn and practice this unspoken language, we do well to be generous in our “translation,” assuming the best of others’ intentions. We need to pay attention, ask questions and listen.  

Behind the words

The language of interpersonal intelligence includes more than interpretation. As with any language, becoming fluent means we ourselves must also learn to communicate clearly. For example, we humans are extremely sensitive to the tone of voice used by others, but we tend to be unaware of our own tone of voice! And while what we say matters, how we speak is perhaps even more important to ensure that words and expressions convey what we want them to. Good intentions do not automatically translate to a kind or friendly tone. The same is true of nonverbal cues; what we feel and what we convey do not automatically match. Toni Morrison once described how a child entering the presence of an adult looks for his or her face to light up with joy, but such a response does not come naturally to adults – not even from parents and others who love the child deeply. A kind tone of voice and a visibly loving affect are elements of interpersonal language to be learned and practiced in pursuit of fluency and proficiency.  

Remarkably, God is speaking to us all the time. He speaks to us through the Bible, of course, and spoke to us most clearly in Jesus, the Word made flesh (Heb.1:2). He also speaks through this world he created, and especially through his image-bearers. Fallible as we humans are, we do not always have ears to hear. When we do, we do not always interpret correctly. Our translations will never be entirely accurate. And yet God puts his own Spirit within those who believe in him. The Spirit, our Interpreter, longs to “guide [us] into all the truth” (John 16:13). What new and fresh insights will he grant today?