"The One Who Falls Down Beside Us"
The Bible calls the Holy Spirit our “Comforter” because He encourages, exhorts, admonishes, protects, comforts, and guides the Christian. Comforter is one of the most difficult words in the Bible to translate adequately. Estella Myers encountered that problem when translating the Bible for the people living in the Karre Mountains of Central African Republic.
“If anyone would do all of that for us, we would say, ‘He’s the one who falls down beside us,’” said her translation assistant. Estella was puzzled. When porters, carrying heavy loads on their heads, go on long journeys, they may become sick with malaria or dysentery, and in complete exhaustion may collapse along the trail. If a sick porter is left alone, he will be killed and eaten by wild animals during the night. If, however, someone sees him lying there and takes pity on him, picking him up and helping him to reach the safety of the |
next village, such a person is said to be “the one who falls down beside us.” Such a person would be a comforter. |