Communication is a tricky thing. In your head you know what you are trying to communicate but it’s not always interpreted properly.

Some times this is due to body language or facial expression - other times choice of words. One time while we lived in Chile my mother-in-law came to visit. We were at the grocery store when she came up to me, “I think I just offended someone while trying to use my Spanish.”

Oh I love these types of stories!

She went on to explain that another customer asked her a question in Spanish to which she told them, “I’m sorry but you don’t speak good Spanish.” But of course she meant to say, “I don’t speak good Spanish.” Oh I got a good laugh out of it.

When Anastasia was in preschool her best friend was as little girl from Japan. Her mother’s English was good but far from perfect. One time I had invited her daughter over for a play date but had to cancel at the last minute due to an illness. When I saw her the next day I apologized because I knew she was eager for her daughter to make American friends and practice English.

“Aw…you don’t care about it!” (smile, laugh, smile)

Uh what?!  “Yes – I do care. I’m so sorry.”

“No, no, no – you don’t care, you don’t care!”

I was getting perturbed. I did care and I wanted to befriend her but if she was going to be this high maintenance and accusatory, maybe it was better to put my energies elsewhere.

I tried to blow it off. School was getting out so we gathered our kids and headed home had I offended her? Her facial expressions were kind but her words didn't match.

Then it hit me – it was a language error. She wasn’t telling me that I didn’t care. Instead she was trying to tell me, “Don’t worry about it.”  Ohhhhh – it now made sense.

This endeared me to my friend. She needed me to help her and to be a safe ear for her to practice her English and to teach her the ways of our land.

It’s not easy being the foreigner. Numerous times in the Bible God tells us to look after the alien. It’s lonely being the outsider. It’s even harder watching your child be the one left out.

Jesus himself learned the hard way what it’s like to live in a foreign land. His new culture was threatened by Him because He was different. His message was often misunderstood. But those who patiently listened to Him found true love and peace – they found their Savior. Think of the relationship they would have missed out on if they had ignored Him.

Look around at the aliens (international or domestic) in your daily life. Reach out to them and invite them into your life. For what you do unto them, you’re doing unto Jesus.

Have you ever been the outsider in a new neighborhood or country?

Who was that special friend who reached out and brought you into community?