Early in my path toward learning Spanish I was given a phrase that was very helpful and since then I have learned that phrase in every language learning project.

I was discouraged about my progress with Spanish. My tutor, the late Mamacita Gloria Saavedra de Figueroa, raised her hand with the thumb and index finger just centimeters together, indicating a short distance, and said, “Poco a Poco” — Little by little. That philosophy is valuable and reflects one that Joy espoused when she quoted Zech 4:10, which says, “Do not despise the day of small things.”

Recently when I asked for this phrase in Indonesian, it was understood instantly. Pak Putut said, “Sedikit demi Sedikit.” But he added, “If you want to make it classic you add the rest of the poem which is, ‘Lama lama menjedi bukit’.”

Sedikit demi sedikit                (Little by little
Lama Lama menjedi bukit.    With time we climb the hill)

My favorite story of this principle is from southern Mexico over half a century ago. I shared this with the Indonesian congregation and they got it.

Some villagers in the arid regions of Southern Mexico had an ox that ran away. It was finally found many miles away and they managed to rope the thing but they could not pull it home. They had with them a little donkey which was part of their recovery plan. They tied the little donkey to the ox, which dragged the donkey all over the place. The donkey was helpless against the brute strength of the ox — but the donkey had one advantage. The donkey knew the way home. The ox did not; he was hopelessly lost and was using his strength to drag the donkey every which way. The donkey however used every opportunity to influence and move the ox toward home and feed and water. In a few days the donkey walked into the village with the much subdued ox.

This has always encouraged me to keep going when I know I am moving in God’s will. The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong (Eccl. 9:11). The power of intentional, patient commitment to the revealed will of God will win in the end. Even if all we receive is the commendation, “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” it is enough.

God Bless,

Larry DeVilbiss | Executive Director

Global Recordings Network USA

If you are interested in learning how to share links on social media that will promote use of our recordings and the Gospel in general, please contact RolandHeck@GlobalRecordings.Net

Previous “The Next Language” posts

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All or Nothing – Post 109

The Emptying – Post 108

Back to the Crib – Post 107

Truly Sustainable Service – Post 106

The Mountain Taker – Post 105

Give Me That Mountain – Post 104

Epicenter of Languages – Post 103

Holy Envy – Post 102

Watchman – Post 101

First the Blade – Post 100

Marghi – Post 99

Talents – Post 98

Berom – Post 97

God is my Wit(h)ness – Post 96

Scarlet Chested Sun Bird – Post 95

Fountains of Water – Post 94

A Glorious Landing – Post 93

Tale of Three Sisters – Post 92

Collaboration – Post 91

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Mixteco del Progreso – Post 89

Go – Post 88

Those Word Lists – Post 87

Altars – Post 86

Oh, for a Thousand Tongues – Post 85

Voices in the Wilderness – Post 84

Nigeria – First Impressions – Post 83

From the Land of Nod – Post 82

Tribute to Mexico – 1967 – 2022 – Post 81

Miniaturization – Post 80

Knowing The Times – Post 79

God Comes to a Dirty World – Post 78

Corn in Mexico – Post 77

When the Church Says No – Post 76

War – Post 75

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Genesis of a Recording Set – Post 72

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Witnesses- Post 70

Who Is Your Owner? – Post 69

An Unsolicited Endorsement – Post 68

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Works of  Man – Post 66

Deliverance – Post 65

New Discoveries – Post 64

The Wall of Pain – Post 63

Is There a Place for the Gospel in Your Story – Post 62

The Love Pyramid – Post 61

Obsession – Post 60

Verb Tenses in Hebrews – Post 59

The Unseen Weapon – Post 58

The Gospel Arrives in Zapoteco:Elotepec – Post 57

Fishing – GRN Style – Post 56

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Seeking – Post 54

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How Big Is Your God? – Post 52

A Muted Gospel? – Post 51

Dedication Service for Marcos – Post 50

Two Weeks, Two Months, Two Years – Post 49

What Will You Give to Jesus – Post 48

Special Assignment – Post 47

The Good and the Best – Post 46

How Many Languages Are There? – Post 45

Verifying Speech Varieties – Post 44

Those God Things – Post 43

Meet Notch, the Desert Cottontail – Post 42

The Lost Languages – Post 41

The Rest of the Yoke – Post 40

What About Those Last Languages – Post 39

A Yoke That Fits – Post 38

The Other Side – Post 37

It Is Finished – Post 36

On the Ground in Culiacan – Post 35

I Will Go With Thee – Post 34

Unseen Warfare – Post 33

God of the Gaps – Post 32

The Father of Faith Missions – Post 31

WAIT – Post 30

Our Ultimate Weapon – Post 29

What Are You Doing Here – Post 28

Recordist Training Course Update – Post 27

Still Shameful – Post 26

Numbers Update – Post 25

The Gospel and Idolatry – Post 24

Could Ye Not Pray – Post 23

John the Baptist and the New Normal – Post 22

Genesis of a Script – Post 21

Embena Experiences – Post 20

An Easter Like No Other – Post 19

Go Or Stay Home – Post 18

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