Post 111 / The Next Language

Bit by Bit

Early in my path toward learning Spanish I was given a phrase that was very helpful and since then I have learned that phrase in every language learning project.

I was discouraged about my progress with Spanish. My tutor, the late Mamacita Gloria Saavedra de Figueroa, raised her hand with the thumb and index finger just centimeters together, indicating a short distance, and said, “Poco a Poco” — Little by little. That philosophy is valuable and reflects one that Joy espoused when she quoted Zech 4:10, which says, “Do not despise the day of small things.

Recently when I asked for this phrase in Indonesian, it was understood instantly. Pak Putut said, “Sedikit demi Sedikit.” But he added, “If you want to make it classic you add the rest of the poem which is, ‘Lama lama menjedi bukit’.”

Sedikit demi sedikit                (Little by little
Lama Lama menjedi bukit.    With time we climb the hill)

My favorite story of this principle is from southern Mexico over half a century ago. I shared this with the Indonesian congregation and they got it.

Some villagers in the arid regions of Southern Mexico had an ox that ran away. It was finally found many miles away and they managed to rope the thing but they could not pull it home. They had with them a little donkey which was part of their recovery plan. They tied the little donkey to the ox, which dragged the donkey all over the place. The donkey was helpless against the brute strength of the ox — but the donkey had one advantage. The donkey knew the way home. The ox did not; he was hopelessly lost and was using his strength to drag the donkey every which way. The donkey however used every opportunity to influence and move the ox toward home and feed and water. In a few days the donkey walked into the village with the much subdued ox.

This has always encouraged me to keep going when I know I am moving in God’s will. The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong (Eccl. 9:11). The power of intentional, patient commitment to the revealed will of God will win in the end. Even if all we receive is the commendation, “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” it is enough.

God Bless,

Larry DeVilbiss | Executive Director

Global Recordings Network USA

If you are interested in learning how to share links on social media that will promote use of our recordings and the Gospel in general, please contact RolandHeck@GlobalRecordings.Net

Previous “The Next Language” posts
The Dark Side – Post 110
All or Nothing – Post 109
The Emptying – Post 108
Back to the Crib – Post 107
Truly Sustainable Service – Post 106
The Mountain Taker – Post 105
Give Me That Mountain – Post 104
Epicenter of Languages – Post 103
Holy Envy – Post 102
Watchman – Post 101
First the Blade – Post 100
Marghi – Post 99
Talents – Post 98
Berom – Post 97
God is my Wit(h)ness – Post 96
Scarlet Chested Sun Bird – Post 95
Fountains of Water – Post 94
A Glorious Landing – Post 93
Tale of Three Sisters – Post 92
Collaboration – Post 91
Pick Your Fears Carefully – Post 90
Mixteco del Progreso – Post 89
Go – Post 88
Those Word Lists – Post 87
Altars – Post 86
Oh, for a Thousand Tongues – Post 85
Voices in the Wilderness – Post 84
Nigeria – First Impressions – Post 83
From the Land of Nod – Post 82
Tribute to Mexico – 1967 – 2022 – Post 81
Miniaturization – Post 80
Knowing The Times – Post 79
God Comes to a Dirty World – Post 78
Corn in Mexico – Post 77
When the Church Says No – Post 76
War – Post 75
Theirs Is the Kingdom – Post 74
The Hippie Era Lives On – Post 73
Genesis of a Recording Set – Post 72
Back Tracking – Post 71
Witnesses- Post 70
Who Is Your Owner? – Post 69
An Unsolicited Endorsement – Post 68
Oral Tradition – Post 67
Works of  Man – Post 66
Deliverance – Post 65
New Discoveries – Post 64
The Wall of Pain – Post 63
Is There a Place for the Gospel in Your Story – Post 62
The Love Pyramid – Post 61
Obsession – Post 60
Verb Tenses in Hebrews – Post 59
The Unseen Weapon – Post 58
The Gospel Arrives in Zapoteco:Elotepec – Post 57
Fishing – GRN Style – Post 56
A New Day in Mexico – Post 55
Seeking – Post 54
Pick Your Battles – Post 53
How Big Is Your God? – Post 52
A Muted Gospel? – Post 51
Dedication Service for Marcos – Post 50
Two Weeks, Two Months, Two Years – Post 49
What Will You Give to Jesus – Post 48
Special Assignment – Post 47
The Good and the Best – Post 46
How Many Languages Are There? – Post 45
Verifying Speech Varieties – Post 44
Those God Things – Post 43
Meet Notch, the Desert Cottontail – Post 42
The Lost Languages – Post 41
The Rest of the Yoke – Post 40
What About Those Last Languages – Post 39
A Yoke That Fits – Post 38
The Other Side – Post 37
It Is Finished – Post 36
On the Ground in Culiacan – Post 35
I Will Go With Thee – Post 34
Unseen Warfare – Post 33
God of the Gaps – Post 32
The Father of Faith Missions – Post 31
WAIT – Post 30
Our Ultimate Weapon – Post 29
What Are You Doing Here – Post 28
Recordist Training Course Update – Post 27
Still Shameful – Post 26
Numbers Update – Post 25
The Gospel and Idolatry – Post 24
Could Ye Not Pray – Post 23
John the Baptist and the New Normal – Post 22
Genesis of a Script – Post 21
Embena Experiences – Post 20
An Easter Like No Other – Post 19
Go Or Stay Home – Post 18
The Next Language – Post 17
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