EUNOIA

«But as it is written: «Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him» (1 Corinthians 2:9).

The first time I ate a mango was in Brazil. My mom and I were visiting her friend Mariley in Taquara. I remember that day like it was yesterday! I was sitting in Mariley’s kitchen, eating the sweet pulp of a mango, with the juice running out of the corner of my mouth, wondering how I had spent my whole life without tasting that delight; not even knowing it existed. When I returned to Argentina and tried to describe the taste and texture of the mango, I told my friends that if a peach and a pineapple were married, their children would be mangoes. We often do this: we use the language and concepts we know to try to describe new realities.

Translators encounter this challenge on a daily basis. Interpreting a concept from one language to another is a true art, and sometimes, it is frankly impossible. A word that cannot be translated is called eunoia (which in Greek means «beautiful thought»). One of my favorite examples is mamihlapinatapei. In Yagän, one of the indigenous languages of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, this word describes the meaningful gaze shared by two people who want to start something, but who do not dare to take the first step. The German language has many words that are impossible to translate, such as sandkastenfreund This word is used to describe a childhood friend and literally means «friend from the sandbox.»

When Paul tried to describe the beauty of God’s plan, he knew that there were no words that extend enough to encompass this concept. In the Letter to the Corinthians, Paul basically said that what God prepared is eunoia; too beautiful and deep to be translated. However, the apostle added that we have received the Spirit of God to reveal the deepest secrets to us. What a privilege! The Spirit Himself teaches us and will continue to teach us even on the New Earth. We will spend eternity discovering new depths of God’s unfathomable love.

Dear Lord, my imagination cannot encompass Your beauty, nor can my mind understand what You have planned for those who love You.
I thank You because every day brings a deeper revelation of Your love and power.

#WomensDevotional
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Take From: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2022
«NO FEARS»
BY: VANEZA PISSUTO
Collaborators: Alexandra Pérez & Angelica Cuate.