Nigel Richards is an unassuming looking individual. Looking most comfortable in a T-shirt, he sports a bowl haircut and a bushy beard that hangs to his mid-chest. Hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, he is reclusive, shying away from the public eye unless absolutely necessary. When it becomes necessary, he is described as shy and modest, happily posing for pictures with fans.
Despite what may seem to be a less-than-flattering characterization, Nigel is accomplished in one area. He holds five world titles, five United States titles, nine French titles, 15 Thailand International King’s Cup titles, 12-time Singapore Open titles, 10-time United Kingdom titles, one ASCI title in 2023, and a title win in Spain.
His sport? Scrabble – you know, that word game with the letter tiles.
“Richards’ mother, Adrienne Fischer, told a New Zealand newspaper in 2010 that he did not excel at English in school, never attended university and took a mathematical approach to the game rather than a linguistic one. I don’t think he’s ever read a book, apart from the dictionary,” she said.”1
Speaking no foreign languages, Richards is able to memorize lists of six, seven, eight, and nine letter words. He learned the French words in just nine weeks. It took him a year to work on the Spanish list. To win one of his American titles, he had to “forget” 40,000 English words that weren’t on the American list.
At the age of 28, Richards went to his first Scrabble club meeting.” “Two years later, in 1997, he cycled 220 miles from Christchurch to the city of Dunedin, won the New Zealand title on his first attempt and cycled home again.”2 This is a man dedicated to his craft!
As I was reading this, I thought how strange it must be to know all these words in a foreign language and yet not know what any of them mean. He has an eidetic memory (photographic) and is able to use his acute mathematical skills to strategize the right word
for the maximum number of points. Yet, with all this knowledge and ability, he is unable to communicate to the French, Spanish, Thais, or people of Singapore in their native tongue – even though he knows their words.
The barrier of languages was a roadblock to sharing the Gospel message after the ascension of Christ. The disciples had returned to Jerusalem, a city filled with Jews and an abundance of devout individuals from other nations. Jerusalem was the melting pot city much like New York City.
It was Pentecost – a celebration 50 days after Passover. What a great opportunity to witness! But, how?
Acts 2:1-6 says, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (5) And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. (6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.”
Scripture makes clear what speaking in tongues meant. It wasn’t gibberish or babbling. It wasn’t some angelic prayer language. It was actual languages, otherwise unknown to the speakers but divinely endowed by the Spirit for a purpose. Those listening, regardless of their ethnicity, understood the message clearly in their own native tongue.
“And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? (8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? (9) Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, (10) Phrygia, and 
Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” (Acts 2:7-11)
As Peter stood and preached with the eleven, I don’t know if they could spell the words but they sure could speak the words with holy boldness, knowing exactly what they were saying. The results of this ministry are found in Acts 2:41. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Today, the gift of tongues has ceased because the need is no longer there (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Instead, we have the completed Word of God. It is translatable into hundreds of languages. Thankfully, there are gifted people working diligently in remote places to develop a written language for a spoken language so that the people can have the Word of God.
And we have the indwelling Spirit of God. Allow Him to use your lips today to speak the truth of God’s Word. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13)
1https://apnews.com/article/spanish-scrabble-world-champion-nigel-richards-zealand-9743b41cf1bbe1628adec1f59121aa50
2Ibid.
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