The Value of First Language Literacy

Do you speak a second language? Many Americans don’t. If you do, do you read and write in that language? If so, how does that compare to reading or writing in the language you know best?

Kimberly has a degree in Spanish, and can speak, read and write fluently in it —me less so. We each have fluency in French as well; I preach and teach university classes in French. But when it comes to reading and writing, we each choose English when we can. Not because English is a better language in any way, but because it is the language we each know best. For us, it is more comfortable. It takes less work (even if not much less) than to read in French or Spanish. This means it takes less time than reading in French or Spanish (even if not much less). And the meaning comes more fully, even if we know what all the French and Spanish words mean. And when I’m looking for something to touch my heart and change my life, the power is clearly on the side of English, as the language I know best.

A Tale of Two Trees

Look at the following pictures, and ask yourself what is in each:

You probably said ‘tree’ for each, but are they both trees? The one on the left has one color ink, and less detail and context. The one on the right is more a vibrant, full, and powerful image, even if they each might send you to the same dictionary entry.

The Point

So why is this important? you might ask. You could say If you like reading better in one language than another, just do it. But what if the language you know best doesn’t have a writing system? Then you’re stuck reading and writing as a second class citizen. You may follow the conversation, but you would be less able to benefit from it than others.

When talking about the point of our work, I often cite Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV, Emphasis added):

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 

That critical pronoun our makes all the difference. God’s vision for each people group is not they would see God as the tree on the left —a foreign God, who provides good things to other people. Rather, each says our God, showing an intimate connection and personal relationship —they each see God in all his splendor, glory, and care for themselves, as the tree on the right.

Food and Drink

Food and drink are basic human needs, and run throughout scripture as examples of God’s providence. See this in the Exodus:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you ….
At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.…
Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat.…
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.
(Exodus 16:4a,11b,16b,17:6 ESV)

Later God tells us through a prophet:

Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1 ESV)

In the proverbs, Wisdom says

Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed. (Proverbs 9:5 ESV)

Later, Jesus says

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. (John 3:37b ESV)
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.…I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. (John 6:35, 51a ESV)

And then finally:

 To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. (revelation 21:6b ESV)

So throughout history, God has used food and drink to communicate to us his Love, up to and including the free gift of eternal life in Jesus. We should hear these things in the same language we heard a parent saying “Come to the table and eat!”, from the earliest age. The fullness of this picture of love, protection and provision (the tree on the right) only comes from hearing these appeals intimately, not as from a stranger or foreigner.

Discipline, Comfort, and Reconciliation

Similarly, God appeals to us to do right, and disciplines us when we do wrong:

let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7 ESV)

My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.
…
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:1-2,11-12

These words should be heard in the same language we heard our parents discipline and comfort us (from the earliest age), saying forsake wickedness! keep my commands! return to me! and I delight in you!

And finally, when God says to you

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev 21:4a ESV)

He should speak in the same language your mother used when she wiped away tears from your very first skinned knee.

In summary, God cares for our physical and relational needs, better (not worse!) than our parents. Not only does He provide food and water, He appeals to us for reconciliation, and offers us eternal life and comfort. These promises of scripture should not be heard as from a stranger or foreigner —as a black and white line drawing. Rather, they should come across in the full color, detail, intimacy and power of one’s first language.