Daily Devotion

“When a person learns to express their deepest prayers in the local language, they are no longer a superior stranger, but a brother who shares their suffering and blessings in the depths of their souls.”

William Edward Soothill · Wenzhou Dialect Textbook

Scripture

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 I have become weak to the weak, so that I may win them. I have become all of myself to all people, so that I may save some by any means. All that I do is for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its benefits.

Reflection

Paul, for the sake of the gospel, "behaved to all kinds of people," and Su Huilian, out of love, went to a foreign land, sharing suffering in the local language. Faith is never a condescending doctrine, but a life of humility and compassion. We often use our own standards to judge others, forgetting that true love requires lowering ourselves and entering the other person's world. Only by willingly humbling ourselves and listening with empathy and warmth can we break down the walls in our hearts and share the sweetness of the gospel with those around us in love.