Language of the Trade 

I’ve been married to the same man since 1980 and for as long as we’ve been married, he’s been in the construction business. 

Early in our marriage, when he’d tell me about his day on the construction site, all I could do was nod and smile. I had no idea what he meant when he told me how difficult it was framing the gable end of the house he was building nor did I grasp the reason for his frustration when he told me how late the trusses finally showed up. 

The language of his trade surpassed my understanding. Consequently, until I chose to become interested in knowing and understanding his on the job lingo, I’d remain ignorant and incapable of conversing with my husband about an important part of his life; his work. 

Since my husband and our relationship is important to me, I became interested in learning the lingo of his trade.

On occasion, I’d visit his job site and he’d give me the tour. I saw for myself what gable ends, king studs and rafters were. Once, his construction company even hired me to help for a day and I layed out blocking and bolts for trusses. Having on the job experience, for just that one day, gave me more insight into the world of my husband. 

Now I don’t just have to nod and smile when he talks about his day on the job. Instead, I   can actually partake, ask intelligent questions and listen with interest and understanding. 

    Bible Lingo

Long, long ago, when I first began my journey of faith, a friend told me that reading the Bible was one of the ways I could get to know God for myself. And, since I wanted to get to know God, I went to a bookstore and bought a Bible.

But, the task was not as easy as I’d thought it would be. Back at the beginning of my faith journey, I didn’t know that there was such an assortment of versions of the Bible to choose from, but there were. 

 In that little bookstore on the corner where I’d often go to find the book I was looking for, I stood stupefied in the religious section. There were dozens of styles of Bibles to choose from. 

Fortunately, the books were not wrapped up in cellophane so I could open them one at a time and read a few lines. I read from King James, New King James, American Standard, English Standard Version, and The Living Bible Paraphrased. Finally, I chose The Living Bible Paraphrased because the language made the most sense to me. 

Since that first Bible, I’ve purchased other versions because I’ve discovered that when I read the same verse from various interpretations, it helps me to understand Bible lingo better.

Take for example this verse from Psalm 119: 19

“I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.” King James

“I feel like a stranger visiting here on earth. I need to know your commands.

  Don’t keep them hidden from me.” Easy to Read Version

“I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions.” The Message

The language is similar in all these versions, but the one that makes the most sense to us will be the one we’ll find to be the most encouraging, the most practical to our everyday living. 

Why Bother?

Why bother learning the lingo? Getting to know your spouse, a friend, employer, or God, means learning and understanding their lingo. Understanding their lingo leads to understanding them which makes for a better relationship.