Babel: More than a Mumford & Sons song

Maybe you know the story...ancient earthlings decide that they'd like to build a tower to heaven. The Genesis 11 narrative implies that a common language is the key to their strength and success. Their united efforts don't go unnoticed (which was the point, after all. They said so themselves.) But, maybe they hadn't counted on the creator of the universe taking notice...

I've always subscribed to the Star Trek vision of how things should be: you know, a united earth and a galactic federation of planets. So God's action in this story--garbling the people's language and scattering them across the earth--has always been a little bit puzzling to me. It appears not only to instigate, but to encourage division and a whole lot of unnecessary drama for the rest of history.  It's this weird, depressing story that seems to be about a capricious Being quashing unity out of fear.  If you're like me, though, you know that God is good. You know that he does not change like the shifting shadows. You know that he is perfect in love, not motivated by fear...

I have been thinking about Babel recently, not as a monument of ruin to mankind's pride or selfishness or greed and not as a portrayal of God's sovereignty or power...

There is value in learning a second (or third or fourth) language. I have believed this for as long as I can remember. The practical benefits for business and diplomacy are multitude, but that's not what I'm talking about.  The true value in learning another language is in finding what was lost at Babel.

Complete perspective. Perfect perception.

What if each language is really just a shard, a jewel-piece of the precious stone shattered and scattered at Babel?  Recently, I memorized Proverbs 3:5-6 in Spanish.

5 Confía en el Señor de todo corazón,
    y no en tu propia inteligencia.
6 Reconócelo en todos tus *caminos,
    y él allanará tus sendas.

I memorized this verse in English way back when in Sunday School, so it is a friend that I have visited again and again. Learning the Spanish version helped me see something new. It brought a more complete perspective to the familiar verse. (This can happen when we read different translations of the Bible even in the same language, too.) The version I've known for years says, "acknowledge him in all your ways." The Spanish version--as I'm understanding it--says something more along the lines of, "recognize him in all your paths."  Same verse, many facets.

God's motives at Babel are beyond me. Maybe we simply weren't ready for the kind of unity that a common language brings. Maybe we couldn't yet handle the responsibility of such a treasure. All I know is that in the meantime, we get to acquire that treasure one bit at a time. Knowing that I have access to only a very small piece of the puzzle is humbling but exciting as well. It means that there is so much more out there to learn and discover, so much more to understand. It means that there is a greater whole that we are all a part of. If we know only our native tongue, we are seeing only one facet of a magnificent jewel.

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Music has been described as a universal language. Maybe. Regardless, I think that just like learning different languages, listening to different genres of music or interpretations of a common theme has great worth. Check out the two songs below. Both explore themes found in Proverbs 3.

Senses Fail--The Path

Here is a link to the lyrics because I would hate for the style to prevent you from hearing the message:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-path-lyrics-senses-fail.html

Jaci Velasquez--Trust in You