Speaking to Edify

I have decided that I really like Paul’s way of speaking. I especially like how he is always talking about doing things by the Spirit. we should teach by the Spirit, serve by the Spirit, and listen to the Spirit in all things.  Sometimes, though, I find myself unsure of how what he say applies to me. This was a struggle for me as I worked through 1 Corinthians. Yet, there were also times where what he said couldn’t be more clearer. I especially felt this way while reading 1 Corinthians 14. This chapter just made so much sense to me.

In chapter 14, Paul goes on to talk about the difference between edifying and speaking in tongues. There were a couple things that came to my mind while I was reading this section. First, I thought about how important it is to keep the lessons and thoughts that we share when teaching simple. Paul said, “So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?” (1 Cor 14:9) This scripture had me reflecting on my calling as a teacher for the women in my ward. As a teacher, I am not supposed to discover hidden, unrevealed truths. I am supposed to teach the gospel, in its simplicity by the Spirit. I am supposed to speak so that those that hear me are able to feel the Spirit and understand the gospel.

This scripture by Paul also had my thinking: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret” (1 Cor 14:27). It reminded of my time living abroad in a country, and attending church, while not being able to speak the language at all. For about a year, my family lived in South Korea. We knew no Korean upon arriving and only slightly more upon leaving. We lived in the area for long enough that we had to speak twice. It was intimidating at first because, even though the congregation was small, no one understood us and we didn’t understand them. The missionaries stepped up to translate our talks for us each time we spoke. I understood at the time that we were part of the congregation, despite the language barrier, and that it was important for us to share what the Spirit spoke to us.

This same experience in Korea also taught me the reverse side of this principle: “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?” (1 Cor 14:23). While we didn’t think that the congregation was “mad” not having each of the meeting interpreted for us definitely made it hard for us to understand what was being taught and for us to feel the Spirit behind the speaker’s words. We could feel the Spirit but it was diminished because of our lack of understanding. Both of these were neat experiences and demonstrated exactly what Paul was trying to teach, that words should be in languages and words understandable to those that are present.

This post may seem like just a bunch of self-reflection but I intend it to be more than that. I hope that through my experiences, others can see the importance of speaking in ways that are understood by those that are being preached to. Paul taught “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church” (1 Cor 14:4). It would serve us well to remember this. If our goal is to spread the Word and to help others unto salvation, it would serve us and them best if we do so in ways that all are edified.