A recent conversation:
Chris (to Keegan): You’re doing so good, my boy!
Me: So well.
Chris: Your mom doesn’t want me to teach you how to speak normal.
Me: Normally.
I realize I’m throwing Chris under the bus here, but it made me laugh, this and conversations like it in which I attempt to use correct grammar so that we may teach our son when to say “to whom” and when to say “who,” when to use “I” and “me,” the difference between an adverb and an adjective.
Not to use “literally” when he’s speaking metaphorically.
Lessons such as these may seem minor compared to big things like who God is and why Jesus came to earth, but I believe words matter.
For example: the phrase “make him Lord of my life.”
Right. I’m going to make the the one who has authority over life and death, the one through whom all things were created, the one who now sits at the right hand of God the Father, the one who sits on David’s throne eternally, I’m going to make this man Lord of my life.
Except that he’s already Lord of all creation. He’s already king of the eternal kingdom. My options: join his kingdom or oppose it. When I became a Christian, I became a citizen of his kingdom, which means he is Lord of my life. My life might reflect the culture of his kingdom, or at times it may reflect the culture from which I came–the culture over which Death reigns. But I do not choose through my actions whether or not Christ is Lord of my life.
How silly.
Every once in a while, I have to get these rants out of my system.
I love it when people speak the same language I speak. *grin*
And to be fair, Chris normally uses “good” and “well” correctly.
I think it’s important that as Christians, we are careful with our words. They hold theology.
This is awesome! I’m on your side
I agree with you. Although, I had to reread the line “Except that he’s already Lord of creation,” because I was expecting you to say “Accept that he’s already Lord of creation.” I knew that since you were discussing word choices that you must be using the proper one and of course you did! I had jumped ahead in my own thought process to accept or deny.
Never underestimate my ability to use the wrong word. For all my ranting, because I’m an audio learner, I often type the wrong word–peak instead of peek or pique, there instead of they’re, etc. It all sounds correct.
This happens to me with worship songs all the time. It’s worse (even if only slightly) than typos on the screen. I just need a copy of Eats, Shoots & Leaves in the pew next to Bible and the BCP to help keep me in a worshipful frame of mind.
(In all seriousness, thinking through the lyrics is an act of worship, or should be. There’s no such thing as the perfect word; words are always limited; but we are called to be ministers of the Perfect Word while we wait for the day when we will see (and speak) face to face.)
Thanks for the good word.
Amen to that, reneamac. Bad grammar, spelling and theology in worship songs makes it sooo hard to join in. Thanks, Heather!
There have been times when I refuse to sing a line (or verse) of a song if it totes bad theology.
Word. (You can’t see this, but I’m doing this cool homie hand symbol thing.)
Actually, I can see it. Not in a creepy I’m-stalking-you way, but, you know, in my imagination… Anyway… I also thought of this post as I was reading an article from Gospel Coalition which provides a helpful close reading of the “Jesus Hates Religion” video-poem.
For one thing, it was just nice to see a Christian publication (that isn’t all about books) give a close reading of anything! But more to the point of this post, the author helps us think through the words and the weight of their meaning, claiming, “words still matter and we shouldn’t just define them however we want.”
It was a helpful article comprised of affirmation and constructive criticism—another application of grace many believers have little to no experience in doing.
Here’s the link: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really/
While I do think we need to be careful with our words, I also believe we have to pay attention to context and leave room for contextualization, which is increasingly difficult in the Internet age. What I mean is this: for this guy’s spoken word piece, who is his audience and how do they understand the term “religion”? I’ve found in this discussion that there’s no agreed upon meaning for this term, which makes it hard to have a conversation about it.
Use it correctly. Otherwise you will forget. I’m not being fictitious.