Aiming the spotlight

Once Mark Cain learned that the Hebrew word for glory includes the concept of shining light, he had what he needed to teach the Guahibo believers in Colombia about praise.

Translating God's Word into a tribal language often involves returning to the original languages for insight to bridge a tribal worldview that perhaps for centuries has born the influence of separation from the mind of God.

"When you say you give glory to God it is like putting a spotlight on God," Mark explained, "turning it off yourself and putting the spotlight on Him. So when you are rejecting the society and believing God's Word that He will take care of you, you are shining the light on God's character."

One of the most brilliant examples of this among the Guahibo believers is Virgilio and Elsa.

"When my wife became pregnant with my latest son, Jonatan Edward, I was so disappointed," Virgilio explained to Mark. "I felt I already had more children than I could care for. I prayed to God and told him this, and He said to me, 'I have something I want to teach you through him.' So I told God I accepted."

In all of Elsa's pregnancies, Virgilio faithfully adhered to the Guahibo cultural taboos that say if the husband eats land turtle, the mother's birth canal would shrink, killing mother and child. Or if he or his expecting wife eats monkey, the umbilical cord would wrap around the infant's body, causing the death of the child and mother. Or if they eat long-necked duck, the baby would die in the womb, causing the mother's death as well.

But once, when Elsa was eight months pregnant, Virgilio fished and hunted all day and all God gave him was a land turtle. His brother-in-law warned him against eating it, but he said, "Before going fishing this morning I asked God to provide for my family. Surely God wouldn't give me something harmful, would He?"

Later that month, on another hunting trip God only gave him a monkey. But he took it home, and as Elsa was preparing it for dinner, Virgilio's mother tried to convince her of the dangers in eating it. Elsa told her, "God gave us this, and we are trusting Him that He knows best."

"In my wife's ninth month God provided a long-necked duck and nothing else," said Virgilio. This time Elsa's mother strongly advised them against eating it. Elsa simply said, "God provided and we are trusting Him."

A week later Elsa told Virgilio, "My labor pains have started. Pray for me."

"The birth of my son Jonatan was completely normal, with not even one complication," Virgilio reported. "When I saw this, the very next church meeting I spent an hour teaching on how we should trust God in everything and not our taboos. You know, God conquered my lack of trust in Him using my youngest son."

Virgilio and Elsa's radical trust in God's character as a provider of good things gave them courage to ignore debilitating taboos, putting the spotlight on God.

"For them to do that," explained Mark, "they are expressing adoration to God because He has become first in their life."

Before, their life was dictated by society, the shaman, the spirits. Now they are choosing to focus their attention on God. And when God responds according to their faith, the society sees His faithfulness and agree, "Yes, God is great."

"It's easy to get up and sing," said Mark. "But when you start making steps to put God first -- that is true worship."