(Based on John 14:1-7)
A couple months ago, I was sitting in a room in downtown Houston listening to a man give a lecture on finding peace and freedom from past mistakes. Honestly, I can't remember anything the guy said, which is usually what happens when I sit in any lecture. But, I do remember sitting in my chair, and hearing background noise. The noise interfered with the lecturer, and I wanted to tell whoever it was chatting to shut up. After about thirty minutes of trying to find out who was disrupting the lecture, I found out that it was a translator sitting in the back of the room. She was translating so the Spanish speaking audience could hear. Once I found out that she was there to help the Hispanics in the audience, I quit worrying about it.
Have you ever watched a political discourse on C-SPAN? There will be a speaker, and there will be a long table at the front of the room with many different national representatives. Each representative has a headset, and when they talk, their discourse goes through a translator of that specific nationality. In the back of the room will be a translator of each nationality that's represented in the room. Then, in the middle of the room is the audience. No matter which dialect is being spoken at any given time, the audience can fully understand thanks to the translators.
In today's passage, Jesus tells his disciples that no one can get to the father apart from him. He also tells them that since they've seen Jesus (they're standing right in front of him), they've seen God. They are talking to each other. At the beginning of the passage, Jesus tells the disciples to trust him and tells them there is plenty of room "in my Father's home." He says he's getting their rooms ready so they can live where he lives. Jesus said that if they really knew him, they would know the Father.
The point that Jesus is trying to make here, I believe, is that the disciples don't really know him or trust him. They say they do, but Jesus knows that in a few days their hearts will be exposed.
What does this mean for us? There's no one who really knows and trusts Jesus. For one, we can't see Jesus so that's one problem the disciples didn't have. Even though the disciples could see and talk to Jesus, they still lacked trust and knowledge of him. How could it be any easier for us, who don't see or have dialogue with Jesus? This takes me back to C-SPAN.
I argue that we represent the speakers giving a discourse on whatever it is going on at the time. We all represent different rhythms and languages of life. Some of us speak Christian and others speak Islamic. Some speak Universalism and others speak agnostically. Some of us speak the language of poverty and others speak the language of wealth, while others attend church on Sunday and still others are at the bar on Sunday.
Jesus represents the translator. He's sitting in the back of the room with his headset on, translating what's being said in order for the audience to hear. God is the audience.
What Jesus is essentially saying to his audience and to us is this: We don't know the language of God, but because of Jesus he understands our every word. In my experience, Christians have used this passage to convey that some are in, and some are out. Some have access to God, and some don't. But it's usually presented in a way that focuses the action on the public speaker and not the translator. If the action of communicating with God was focused on our efforts, we would be implying that we fully know the language of God and all its inner workings. I'm not willing to take a step out on that limb, and I have no desire to do so.
I believe Jesus is taking each one of our individual languages, rhythms, and beliefs, and translating them into a way that brings honor and glory to his Father. We don't get to see the Translator, but the Translator is working for us and connecting us with a source of love that is beyond our wildest dreams. He's taking our flaws, our successes, and our quirks and translating them in a way that makes the Father smile.
I believe God is for everyone, and he wants to make sure that he hears every word and every syllable coming from our mouths and our hearts. He wants to hear how we're doing, what we're fighting for, what we're passionate about, and wants to help. As Jesus said, "there's room in my Father's house." We're all invited, and there's enough room.
In essence, I agree with the theology that no knows or has access to the Father apart from Jesus. The twist is that Jesus is the one creating the access, not us. We just stand up and speak in our own language, culture, and belief system. That's all we do. The Translator does the rest, turning our words into a pleasing aroma to the One who's in the business of bringing restoration to the world and her people.
Lastly, I'd like to expound on my interpretation of prayer. I believe prayer takes on many forms and it's not just through words. It can be listening, it can be playing basketball, or it can be sitting with a homeless man learning about his life. I believe prayer happens anytime we connect with our hearts, and tune into our deepest desires and passions. It can also happen when we don't feel connected, or motivated, and throw words into space hoping something or somebody will hear them. No matter how he pray, the Translator hears every word and makes it audible and pleasing to the Audience.
Today's Action: Take a huge leap of faith, and pray today. Whether it's talking or gardening, think about the possibility that our words and actions are being translated and used in a way that we can't understand.
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