Do You Have An Accent?

Several years ago, I had the opportunity go to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and speak in a weekend seminar hosted by the Edmonton Church of Christ.  It was such an encouragement to go so far away and find so many good people who were striving to conform their lives into the image of Jesus, just as we are here in Knoxville, TN.

However, here’s something that came to my mind as I spent some time with these good brethren.  You know what?  These people had an accent.  I sure could tell I wasn’t in Knoxville, TN anymore.  And don’t you suppose they were thinking the same thing about me?  “Where’s this guy from?”  “He’s certainly not from around here, that’s for sure.”

But now, here’s my point, from hearing one another speak, we were able to immediately learn something about each other. I wonder, if you began speaking, how long would it take for someone listening to you to discover that you belonged to Jesus?  When the people heard Peter and John, they “perceived that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

My prayer is that my “Christian accent” will be as strong as my West Virginia/Kentucky/Tennessee accent, and that the “Christian accent” of my Canadian friends will be as strong as their Canadian accent. Eh?