Relax the bow
...is the meaning of the word "forgiveness" or "mercy" in the Kimyal language.
This past week, I've been listening to interviews with a missionary named Elinor Young, who served the highly intelligent, fiery, and assertive Kimyal tribe.
She used an unexpected advantage—her crippled legs—to be carried for hours through mountainous paths to visit the various tribes in the region. This gave her the opportunity to listen to the daily conversations and stories of her carriers, which furthered her linguistic work of translating part of the New Testament into their language.
She shared how difficult it was to translate theological concepts, especially since the Kimyal culture had no concept of "forgiveness." In fact, revenge was one of their highest cultural virtues.
Then one morning, she heard a story that gave her the perfect phrase.
Korupun pastors and elders had learned that warriors hostile to the Gospel were on their way over the trail to attack the Christians. The church leaders armed themselves with bows and arrows and hid in the bushes along the path. At just the right moment, they jumped out, bows drawn, surrounding the would-be attackers. Once the men were thoroughly terrified, the leaders said, “In the name of Jesus, we relax the bow.”
What a perfect image of forgiveness. Her translation became: “God relaxes the bow drawn against us.”
How beautiful are the feet that bring good news—the news that God has relaxed the bow drawn against us... against me.
How beautiful are the feet—even the crippled feet—of a polio survivor who heard the call of her King and journeyed to the Kimyal tribe, who lived at about 6,000 feet in the rugged Eastern Highlands of Papua, Indonesia. Read more:
And how beautiful are the doubly crippled feet of this remarkable woman who also survived post-polio syndrome and now uses her platform to encourage us to follow in her footsteps—and in our King's. She disciples us to pray, to practice, and to preach His forgiveness. To relax our bows toward those who hurt us, misunderstand us, or reject us—because He first relaxed the bow drawn against us.
My Beautiful, use your crippled legs, or arms, or heart to spread the good news: our King has relaxed the bow.
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