Babbling

This short narrative has always been troublesome for me. I know all the Sunday School answers about the sin of pride and spreading out on the whole earth, but there is still part of this story that gives me heartburn. I mean, if you look around at how much violence, hatred, and evil seems to come from having so many different languages and cultures, it makes it difficult to reconcile the fact that God created that confusion. Knowing the horrible things that this tribalism would create, why would God choose this method to deal with the situation?

I have some thoughts. I think this story compares and contrasts well with the story of Acts 2. This is the difference between uniformity and unity. At the Tower of Babel, people were not individuals. They were worker bees, cogs in the machine that was going to "make a name" for humanity. This was the ultimate "results-oriented" approach to life. People and relationships are not important in this model, only the end result. At Pentecost, people from all races, languages, and cultures (people who have all kinds of good reasons to hate each other) break through those barriers and come together in unity, yet never lose their identity. The connections, relationships (even the messy ones), and individual people matter in this approach. This relational, covenantal approach is the way of God.

But, I already know my thoughts. I want to know yours. How do you wrestle with this text? How did the Spirit speak to you as you read? Please add your thoughts in the comments. I really don't like talking to myself.