I stood before the gathering at a small Jamaican church and said in my best local dialect, Wah Gwan, Jamaica? The reaction was better than I expected, as smiles and applause greeted me.
In reality, all I had said was the standard greeting, Whats going on? in Patois [pa-twa], but to their ears I was saying, I care enough to speak your language. Of course I did not yet know enough Patois to continue, but a door had been opened.
When the apostle Paul stood before the people of Athens, he let them know that he knew their culture. He told them that he had noticed their altar to an unknown god, and he quoted one of their poets. Of course, not everyone believed Pauls message about Jesuss resurrection, but some said, We want to hear you again on this subject (Acts 17:32).
As we interact with others about Jesus and the salvation He offers, the lessons of Scripture show us to invest ourselves in othersto learn their language, as it wereas a way to open the door to telling them the good news (see also 1 Cor. 9:2023).
As we find out Wah Gwan? in others lives, it will be easier to share what God has done in ours.