Living With Wings

“They shall mount up with wings as eagles…” Isaiah 40:31

Wrapped around an angel’s celestial form, fluttering with bright yellow swathes through the air or spread out in the predator hawk’s formation, everyone loves wings. They radiate the beauty of fluid and graceful motion. While appearing to work effortlessly, they produce powerful exertions on the air. With wings, the eagle soars, flies, mounts, rises, glides, sails, floats and climbs. With wings, he flies high enough to reach his goal and dwell in high places.

Wings are amazing movable appendages that enable flight and serve a multitude of purposes. They help some birds to dive and swim, they shield eggs or tender young from rain and hot sun during hatching and brooding and they even act as weapons. To ancient civilizations, wings symbolized strength and swiftness. They loom in Belshazzar’s dream of a fierce image, Ezekiel’s dark prophecies, and Zechariah’s visions. Long ago civilizations coveted these attributes of birds, especially of the magnificent eagle, that gave its owners god-like qualities, ascending power, and an untouchable defense against all attackers. Pagan and heathen tribes sculpted likenesses of wings upon their images of worship.

Isaiah tells us that God equips every one who serves Him with a set of wings. Why, then, do so many of us track around in the dirt of troubles and frustrations, trying to survive? Many scratch among the rocks and barren soil for food. Spiritual foes constantly send others squawking, feathers ruffled, running for cover. Could it be that we have not learned to live with our gift of wings?

God incorporated the wings of cherubims into the furniture of the tabernacle. The book of Exodus tells us of the two cherubims placed on the mercy seat. Of all the furniture and utensils available, he set the wings of the cherubs directly over the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant. He wanted the most sacred spot on earth, the very place where the blood of the sacrifice would be sprinkled to atone for sin, to be under the protection of wings. Wings also adorn the seraphims of scripture——those special fiery, always ablaze angelic creatures that exist exclusively for the production of praise and rendering of glory to God. (Isaiah 6:1-2.) Revelation 4:8 says “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

For New Testament believers, wings mean far more than objects of beauty or historical throwbacks. They do the same for us spiritually as they do for creatures of flight. Consider the following:

Wings have aerodynamic properties that enable a bird in flight to overcome the force of gravity. Some people wait for God to change their circumstances in life altogether. But God’s plan is for us to use our wings. As the eagle, we live within the reach of sin’s gravity, yet we may be resistant to the will of gravity.

Wings permit the eagle to thrust up and forward in flight; gliding and riding thermal currents; hovering and landing. Likewise, God equips his people to survive in every situation, to defeat any enemy, and to live for Him regardless of the pressures against them.

Wings change the range of a bird’s environment to three dimensions. God gives us wings to provide us with a broad perspective on the world. Believers who use their wings always see life from a manageable perspective.

Wings enable us to “mount up” as eagles. When we mount up, we rise above the sin and evil, the frustrations and aggravations, the sniping and griping, the hatred and attacks prevalent in this world.

Wings mean that we really can live above the world. That’s right, above! Wing strength is the key to living above the world. “…and fowl that may fly above the earth…” Genesis 1:20 “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Proverbs 15:24 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2

Is it time to check your wings? Have you forgotten they exist? Are they folded and unused? Are they injured? Have your wings been clipped by misconceptions and intimidation? God did not supply you with spiritual wings for adornment or for rare excursions into exhilarating flight. They are powerful pieces of equipment that you can and must use every day. Learn to live with your wings.

Our Most Audacious Question

“Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” Romans 9:20

The picture always seems so ludicrous to me: Puny man, hands on hips, stomping his foot and giving God his most intimidating face. “Why are you doing this?” he dares to interrogate. It’s the miniature versus the Almighty; the finite against the Infinite; the lump of clay versus the Potter; the wisp versus the Whirlwind. It appears as out of place as buck private calling the five star general on the carpet or the newly hired janitor demanding a full debriefing of the firm’s CEO. Yet, man flails on, doing his best to wring an answer out of God.

When sorrow inundates us, Satan torments us, people wound us or life crushes us, we often summon God in for interrogation. When circumstances perplex us, plans fail us, dreams elude us or good fortune slips through our grasp and falls into the hands of an undeserving neighbor, we rashly accost God and demand answers. Are you guilty of asking God questions based on the following reasons?

The Adolescent Why: “I don’t understand.” As spiritually mature as we might be, we are as babies in comparison to the wisdom of the Omniscient One.

The Accusing Why: “How could you do this to me?” We often call God’s motives into question, as though he were driven by vindictiveness or jealousy.

The Anguishing Why: “What did I do wrong?” Tormented by an overblown sense of guilt, we beat ourselves up with self-recriminations. Sometimes our self-deprecation extends from toxic parenting, or from a general sense of rejection in our past. This line of questioning tells more about who we are than an attempt to locate truth.

The Analytical Why: “It doesn’t make sense.” Sometimes, great scientific or mathematical formulas have taken years to develop because certain unknown bits of data were not factored in. Any attempt to analyze God overlooks the fact that we cannot see the whole picture. He sees all the tomorrows that hide from our present view.

The Argumentative Why: “I think you’ve made a big mistake, God.” Sometimes our inflated ego gets so far out of control that we argue with God. We think our logic is superior, our deductions make more sense, or our plan would have led to a more satisfying conclusion.

The Accepting Why: “Not my will but thine be done.” Here’s the secret. “God, I fully accept what you have willed for my life. Help me understand the lesson you want to teach me, show me how it will enrich our relationship, and, through this, make me more useful in your kingdom.” Surrender your right to know what God is thinking. In a theocracy, such a right does not exist anyway.

Good people who lead disciplined, exemplary lives, and who otherwise have it all together wither before the question of “why”. They do not fade because of a personal failure or a moral collapse. They are not wild, crazy or impulsive. They simply cannot negotiate the choices of God.

The bigger your concept of God, the less likely you will be to question him about things you cannot control. Invest implicit faith and trust in God’s lordship. Believe that he loves you: therefore, whatever God causes or allows will somehow redound to your spiritual benefit. From Abel’s murder, to Job’s calamities, from Daniel’s den of lions to Peter’s imprisonment, from King David’s loss of an infant son to the barbarous crucifixion of the Son of God, the Infinite God really does know exactly what is going on. When the results are in, the problems most difficult to understand will undoubtedly be seen as God’s most ingenious forms of blessing.

The Unexpected Consequences of Righteousness

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness…till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”   Hosea 10:12

The sweet returns of right things done in past years are some of life’s most pleasant experiences. A minister friend of mine often thanks me profusely today for kindness I showed to his father while I was a young evangelist. At the time, I was holding revival services for his aging father and chauffeured him to area hospitals, assisted him up and down stairs, and did other things to help him while I was there. It never occurred to me that I was doing anything heroic or worthy of praise. In fact, I wasn’t. I was only doing what seemed to me to be right. But, because of those simple things, I reaped a great friend in the son of this now deceased, elderly minister.

It’s a small example, but it illustrates a principle. When you do right things, you sow to yourself in righteousness. Deed by deed, word by word, you build a reputation that precedes you wherever you go. You reap consequences of your actions that far exceed the effort and investment of the original act! People see what you do and form opinions of your character. Look at these unexpected consequences:

• The implicit trust people give you.
• The troubles you avoid.
• The kindness you receive from unknown persons.
• A clear conscience.
• A positive attitude.
• A God-blessed life.
• The preservation of good health.
• A powerful influence upon others.
• A voice of authority.

These benefits often suddenly appear to you as a beautiful flower garden dazzles your eyes with color when you turn a corner; as a breath-taking scenic view comes into view around a bend in the road; or as a warm smile greets you in a strange place, assuring you that all is well. It’s like sitting down to a gourmet dinner and having someone come by a pick up the check. You often don’t know exactly what brought on the favor. It just pays to live right.

This does not minimize the grace of God in any way. It does remind us that righteousness, holiness, honesty, purity and obedience to God are more than fluff. They are the acts of God through yielded human vessels, and they generate important consequences. Righteous living not only stems from the word of God, it also edifies and strengthens our lives in everyday ways.

Never disdain righteous choices, holy living, honest accounting, or painful obedience. Whatever costs they demand from you, the blessings they bring far exceed the temporary inconveniences.

Surprise!

Whitewater rafting down the New River in West Virginia looked like a fun family thing to do one summer. Armed with helmets, paddles, life preservers, and a ten-minute safety course, we put in. The guide perched on the back of the raft, barking orders and issuing warnings. The one thing he kept reminding us about was that Surprise was coming.

The down river venture was a piece of cake. We skimmed a few mild rapids and rammed a few rocks on the way. We laughed when the playful guide purposely threw Ross and Rene’ in the water. We joked our way down the stream, talking about everything under the sun. Whatever Surprise was all about, we knew we could handle it.

Surprise was the locals’ name for a particularly rough section of the New River . The water foamed and swirled like a gigantic washing machine. We hit it driving hard, paddling furiously—-just not furiously enough. I looked over and saw my wife’s’ feet shoot straight up in the air. Into the waves she went! Before I could say a word, the raft tilted sharply. I lost my footing and disappeared over the other side of the raft and into the rapids. I couldn’t believe it—-both of us thrown from the boat!

Unable to breathe, I fought to get to the surface, only to be thrust back down by the churning waves. At that moment, I couldn’t decide if I was in real trouble yet, but I knew something had to happen fast. Just as I felt panic rise to my throat, I realized that the current had carried me toward the quieter water. I stuck my nose and mouth out of the water and gulped in air. Fatigue overwhelmed me.

When they finally pulled me back into the raft, I discovered that the guide had thrown Sandy a rope and had pulled her to safety. I lay on my back in the bottom of the raft and managed a weak laugh. Inside, I was just glad to be alive. Other than Sandy losing her favorite shoes, and all of us gaining a harrowing experience, we were okay.

“Surprise,” Jeremy, our guide grinned. Now I know why the cameras were set up on the banks alongside Surprise. The pictures are hilarious—-now.

This tale from the Jordan vacation is not intended for entertainment purposes. Rather, I have a vivid picture in my mind of the church as the ship of Zion . The wind and the waves challenge everyone aboard. Some have failed to keep their footing as the waters became rough.

Do you find yourself fighting with your schedule in order to be in church services on a regular basis? When you do manage to keep Sundays and Wednesdays free, are you so tired that coming to church seems more of a chore than a joy? After you miss several services, do you feel so guilty about it that you dread showing your face?

Your relationship to God cannot be divorced from your relationship to your church. I firmly believe that to serve God is to be deeply involved in the local assembly of believers. You must not be thrown off. If you are lulled to sleep and think you can survive without faithful and committed involvement in your church, Surprise will teach you a hard lesson.

• Every believer needs preaching—-strong, anointed and often.
• Every believer needs teaching. It keeps us thinking straight.
• Every believer needs to worship God with the church.
• Every believer needs time to pray at the altar.
• Every believer needs fellowship with other saints.
• Every believer needs to be pastored.

Anyone who forfeits a viable and active participation in the church literally chokes off the flow of spiritual food to his or her soul. I have never known anyone who has grown stronger spiritually by staying out of church. On the other hand, I am acquainted with many who have deeply damaged their heart and conscience by lack of attendance. Don’t let that happen to you.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25.

The day is approaching. It’s more important than ever to get solid footing on the ship of Zion . We are not just rafting down the New River . We are journeying toward our eternal home.

I will be looking for you.

The Power of X

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:3

It all comes down to X. What is X? A reference to algebra or trigonometry? No. X determines the size and place of God in your life. X is knowing what to magnify and how much to magnify it. People who focus on right things and let them rule their lives will reap huge rewards. Those who focus on wrong things and blow them out of proportion will lose every time.

Here’s how it works. The lens power on a camera, microscope or telescope is usually expressed in terms of magnification. If you look at the markings on the lens of your camera, you will find out its power specifications. If the lens can magnify the object to be photographed by ten times, 10X will be written somewhere on the side. If it can magnify it by twenty times, 20X will be inscribed. Very powerful lenses can magnify sub-atomic particles to the point that they can be photographed. They can also enlarge stars and planets light years away that are imperceptible to the unaided eye and register their image on film.

What happens to a magnified image? Nothing! A magnified image does not really change at all. What is different, then? Perception. Magnification only alters the perception of an image. This perceived image is also called a virtual image because it is perceived by the viewer’s brain and cannot be reproduced on a screen.

From a spiritual point of view, whatever you magnify, you perceive as greater, more powerful and more important than other things. Eventually, you end up either worshipping what you magnify or in subjugation to it. Consider the following principles of magnification:

God cannot magnify Himself. Why? Because God is infinite in every one of His attributes. He cannot magnify Himself because he is already omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. By definition, these characteristics of God cannot be increased. Therefore, God’s real image and His virtual image are the same. So? That’s where you and I come into the picture. He leaves it up to us to magnify Him so that our perception of Him gets bigger. Magnifying God means more than just praising Him. It means fixing in our minds the biggest picture or understanding of God that we possibly can.

God magnifies men who do His will. “And the Lord said unto Joshua, ‘This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel , that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.’” Joshua 3:7.

God takes small, weak people and magnifies their image before others so that they seem bigger and stronger to them.

Men who magnify themselves are foolish. Of the antichrist, it is said, “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart.” Daniel 8:25. All those who magnify themselves think they are bigger than they really are.

Our greatest problems come from magnifying our problems. When your mistakes loom so large in your eyes that you cannot see the blood of Jesus, your X-power is too low. When your enemies seem greater than your God does, you’re looking through the wrong end of the telescope. Remember the spies who went into Kadesh-Barnea? They said, “We be not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we… We saw the giants … and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:31-33. The evil spies reacted to their own perceptions, not to the reality of God’s might and dominion.

If someone were to hold a magnifying glass up to your face, what interesting things might they find? Warts and pimples? Freckles and wrinkles? Your imperfections would leap out at them and overshadow all of your better features. Even so, when we focus on our spiritual warts, they look bigger than God’s wonders. When we concentrate on our hurting, we forget about God’s healing. When we obsess on our weakness, we lose sight of God’s incredible strength. The greatest spiritual lesson we can learn, therefore, is to magnify God and minimize self.

I know…it sounds too simple. But, has an illusionist ever fooled you? Have you ever been totally thrown out of whack by a trick room built to mess with your eyesight and depth of field? That’s what I’m talking about. Our perception of God is invariably too small, too fuzzy or too warped. It is not His reality, but our perception of Him that influences us the most.

Look for God in every situation, and then, when you find Him, magnify Him! This is the true power of X. Got trials? Find God in them and magnify Him. Got blessings? Find God and magnify Him. Got battles? Find God and magnify Him. Got opportunities? Find God and magnify Him. Anytime God is looking too small to you, get a bigger lens. Throw more light on the situation. Get closer to the subject. You will discover God is in there somewhere. When you find Him, magnify Him. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “… with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body.” Philippians 1:20

Discover the power of X. Magnify God.

Body Language

Body language experts contend that we are much more likely to discover a person’s true feelings by studying non-verbal communication than to listen to the words he or she may speak. Corporations hire people who specialize in “reading” a prospective employee’s facial expressions, arm and leg movement, involuntary actions, nervous twitches and even choice of clothing. In the past few decades, psychologists have made much of dreams, paintings, inkblots and exercises involving shapes, sizes and colors. Lie detector tests focus on physiological reactions given by people who are asked certain questions, not on their verbal responses. All of these things signify the importance of actions and symbols without words.

Unfortunately, word lovers like me have a bias toward words. I actually like dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias and other tools of the trade. I have some idiolectic (sorry!) rules of thumb that I use to justify my word choices. At the same time, I realize that words do not begin to cover the entire spectrum of communication. In fact, our actions exert a far more powerful and meaningful effect on us than the most articulate and precise words we could possibly use.

Words often negate clarity or truth. Of politicians’ calculated word choices, Mona Charen, columnist writes, “After the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia in 1996, Mr. Clinton had Dick Morris take a poll. ‘We tested peacemaker or toughness,’ Mr. York quotes Mr. Morris as recalling. The public preferred toughness. ‘So Clinton talked tough.’ But the FBI director, Louis Freeh, became so exasperated by Mr. Clinton’s failure to raise the matter with Saudi officials that he actually asked former President George Bush to do so instead.”

Human interaction has never been limited to words alone. An amazing number of signals and ideas can be transmitted from one person to another with nary a word being spoken. Were this not the case, the realms of art and music would be desolate, indeed. When it comes to emotions, we actually rely on body language to convey our feelings more than words. Complex or intellectual thoughts may need words to express fully, but even these use a complementary pattern of gestures and unspoken movements to provide emphasis and guidance to the conversation. Here is a sampling of non-verbal actions:

• Eyes : Staring. Narrowing. Rolling. Closing. Glancing.
• Voice : Laughter. A sound. A cough.
• Body : A hug. Raising the arms. Leaping. Dancing. Running. Bumping.
• Hands : Pointing. A handshake. Clapping the hands. High fives. Gesturing.
• Mouth : Smiling. Frowning. Kissing. Whistling.
• Clothing : Colors. Uniforms. Certain articles of clothing.
• Head : Nodding. Shaking. Tilting. A haircut.
• Face : Distorting. Turning away. Looking up or down.
• Signs : Tattoos. Ornamentation. A gift. Insignias.
• One’s self : One’s presence or absence. Stepping forward. Standing back.
• Actions : Owning a certain model of car. Swerving. Pointing a gun. Brandishing a knife.

While the spoken word remains a central aspect of the power of God, we must also recognize that he communicated many things without words. In Genesis, God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. This is a profound statement of divine intention. Even if there were no subsequent words to explain God’s act, the imagery of slaying and bloodshed itself would suffice to depict God’s assessment of sin. The rite of circumcision, Jacob’s wrestling match, the burning bush, pillars of cloud and fire, Aaron’s rod that budded, the Urim and Thummim, the tabernacle plan, the sacerdotal rituals and other actions that God did or commanded to be done show the importance of meanings in absence of words.

Going further, Samson’s uncut locks of hair, judges giving a white or black stone, saluting and bowing to officials, ceremonial gift-giving, kisses, foods, preparation of meals, style and material for clothing, observation of days and time-periods, kinds of sacrifices and a host of other symbols were all used for various reasons in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, we see baptism in water by immersion, washing of feet, the communion supper, breaking of bread, anointing the sick with oil, fasting, giving of alms, and other sacraments or forms of service that had great meaning attached to them. The Bible overflows with non-verbal images.

Without question then, non-verbal expressions in Bible practice were an important way to communicate thoughts, feelings and information to others. It is very instructive, the, to place this concept into the context of a Christian lifestyle as taught in the scriptures. For example, when someone declares that the wearing of long hair for women has no significance, he or she denies the reality of non-verbal communication. A woman’s long hair symbolizes a number of important concepts: submission to authority, distinction from the male gender, acceptance of a God-given role and a display of feminine glory. Likewise, when a woman’s hair was shorn, it was considered a mark of shame before the community.

Other non-verbal practices in the New Testament demonstrate this fact as well. Sexual relationships outside the bonds of marriage defined a person as corrupt. Killing, stealing, idolatry, eating meat offered to idols and drinking blood were all condemned. On the positive side, many actions were encouraged because they underscored righteous living and understanding. Faithful attendance to duty, working with one’s own hands, giving in offerings, paying tithes, attending church, and many other things were practiced by the early believers. These were just as important as their verbal confessions of faith because they represented the inner-workings of the heart.

Apostolic men and women bear noticeable distinctions from the general public in the way they dress and behave. Strangers often approach us and ask about our appearance or want to confirm their opinions about the church we attend. At large gatherings such as General Conference, we hear and read comments by the local population about what they see in our people. And well they should. It seems logical to conclude that a conversion experience as radical as the new birth should make a profound difference in every aspect of a person’s life, including their appearance, behavior and spirit.

Should anyone say that the gospel of grace pertains only to matters of faith and heart, and not to any outward manifestation, nearly every book in the New Testament stands in objection. Two representative selections are Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Also, I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Scriptural terms such as modest apparel, shamefacedness, appearance of evil, and others give attention to non-verbal communication. Many corroborative verses can be cited, but all of them underscore the fact that genuine faith has a decided effect upon our behavior, our appearance and the way we present ourselves in the world.

Certain non-verbal forms of communication send a wrong message because of the cultural milieu. Some societies take offense at particular gestures, types of clothing, actions, and etc. because their traditions forbid them. We do not have to be raised in a certain culture, however, to develop a conscience about particular practices. When we read in the Bible about the things God blesses or curses, when we study the original Apostolic church and learn what it considered right and wrong, good and bad, we then have an obligation to assimilate those things into our own lifestyle, regardless of the culture.

It is very difficult to say one thing and do another. For example, try shaking your head and saying “yes”, or nodding your head and saying “no”. If you concentrate, you might do it, otherwise, it’s hard to do. Those who interpret body language say that despite a person’s words, actions, most of which are involuntary, convey his or her actual meaning, mood and intent. In the church, when a man says, “I am living a holy life,” and then gets drunk, philanders, and steals from his employer, his body language clearly contradicts his verbal messages. If a woman avows that she is pure and chaste, and then dresses like a prostitute and is frequently seen with different men at all hours of the night, what are we to conclude but that her claims are bogus? Actions verify words, not vice versa. Incidentally, the term to use for people who use words to cover up their actions is lying. No one needs resort to torrents of verbiage to convey a sense of godliness. If they would only act the part, many words would be unnecessary.

The Apostolic church of the twenty-first century must not buy into old heresies disguised as new truths. The more faith gets pushed out from reality into the haze of sham, smoke and mirrors, the more we risk losing it all. Righteousness that is not really righteous eventually destroys its own meaning. Holiness that is not truly holy will soon become farcical. Truth that answers to a hundred different names will not know what to call itself. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Truth that exists in word only will lead to freedom that is word only. Only truth that encompasses body, soul and spirit will make one truly free.

Do You Know Any Big Words?

Antidisestablishmentarianism. My sister, Carol, taught me how to pronounce and spell that word when I could barely talk. It’s a twenty-eight lettered, twelve-syllabled term meaning “against the tearing down of churches.” It meant a lot in nineteenth century England and Ireland, but today, its main distinction is that it is one of the longest words in the English language. Now, it doesn’t even hold that record.  Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, with forty-five letters and nineteen syllables is presently considered to be our longest word, according to Wikipedia. They dub it a “factitious” word, coined to describe a condition that most of us call “black lung disease.” Okay. That will probably do it…unless you want to talk about floccinaucinihilipilification…I didn’t think so.

My kindergarten teacher was pretty impressed with my ability to say and spell that big word, but I painfully discovered that others, especially my peers, were more apt to think I was a little freakish for knowing it. I did my best to speak normally for the rest of my childhood, but in high school I joined the debate team and things went south in the verbal arts. (See what I mean?) But, it was unavoidable. I mean, how can you intelligently discuss “Resolved: That nuclear weapons should be controlled by an international organization” without resorting to fine-tuned, multisyllabic words to express your meaning? Besides that, I had to compete against my opponents in front of English professors from institutions like the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University. To be non-conversant in technical terminology (I really am hopeless!) would be suicidal. After my third year of varsity debate competition, my penchant for big words had become ingrained in my brain.

In my view, big words can be shortcuts to precise communication. One right word can eliminate the need for ten to twenty little words to approximate the meaning. The problem is, of course, if the target audience doesn’t understand the word, the positive becomes a negative. The rule of thumb (called a heuristic) that I like is to use the basketball approach. The ten-foot high goal in basketball is low enough to be reachable, but high enough to be a challenge. What a silly game it would be if the goal were at the six foot level! Use words that may be slightly over people’s heads but not out of their reach. Make them stretch a little bit. Also, most people can understand bigger words, even if they don’t use them. Again, the audience dictates the style.

The downside of big words, however, can be catastrophic. Ever heard of obfuscation? It means making something so confusing, so opaque, that it hides the true meaning. The language of diplomacy, or diplospeak, has its place. “Diplomacy is primarily words that prevent us from reaching for our swords,” observed Bosnian scholar-diplomat Drazen Pehar. But if the same results happen, like one country taking over another, or one person robbing another person blind, then where is the advantage? Michael Crichton calls medical writing a “highly skilled, calculated attempt to confuse the reader”. ^[1] B.F. Skinner savages medical notation as a form of multiple audience control which allows the doctor to communicate to the pharmacist things which might be opposed by the patient if they could understand it. ^[2]

No arena uses more verbal obfuscation to garble up clarity than theology. The long war of words waged between Arius and Athanasius in the third and fourth centuries resulted in the classic doctrine of mumbo-jumbo and discombobulation, later known as trinitarianism. While I don’t want to be too harsh, see if you can understand some of its component pieces, as stated in the Creed of Athanasius: “8. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. 11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. 12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible.” The one thing incomprehensible about the doctrine is that it, in and of itself, is incomprehensible.

Today, many scholars have taken a step backwards from hardline trinitarianism because, in all honesty, they cannot make the concept mesh with the terminology. Cornerstone1.org writes, “ In a recent book on the Trinity, Catholic theologian Karl Rahner recognizes that theologians in the past have been “… embarrassed by the simple fact that in reality the Scriptures do not explicitly present a doctrine of the ‘imminent’ Trinity (even John’s prologue is no such doctrine)” (The Trinity, p. 22). (Author’s emphasis.) Other theologians also recognize the fact that the first chapter of John’s Gospel—the prologue— clearly shows the pre-existence and divinity of Christ and does not teach the doctrine of the Trinity. After discussing John’s prologue, Dr. William Newton Clarke writes: ‘There is no Trinity in this; but there is a distinction in the Godhead, a duality in God. This distinction or duality is used as basis for the idea of an only-begotten Son, and as key to the possibility of an incarnation” (Outline of Christian Theology, p. 167).

As you may surmise, we could go on forever discussing the aspects of the Trinitarian controversy. My purpose is simply to illustrate how our vocabulary can either clarify or confuse, depending upon our intent. The best strategy to use for accurate communication is to envision a ladder. When you climb a ladder, you are the same person, but you can reach different things the higher you climb. Likewise, the concept should remain unchanged at any level, even though the terminology may get more complex at higher levels. Whatever I attempt to convey to an audience, I must make sure that my word choice does not alter the basic meaning of my thought. Whenever we choose big words to fool people, to shade meanings or to manipulate minds, our methods are disingenuous.

This decidedly devious intent motivates much of the political correctness that literally plagues our culture today. In fact, nuancing or massaging the message is the very point in employing different words. Within a culture, people react to words in somewhat predictable ways. We use the word “stereotype” to express this idea. Some words are laden with emotional meaning; other words, although referring to the same thing, evoke only mild responses. Take the words “baby” and “fetus;” or, “unborn child” and “product of conception.” If we want to pump emotion into a thought, we use certain words. If we want to strip all the emotion out of the identical thought, we use words generally considered equivalent. Politicians have a field day with such euphemisms. They either use the word “taxation” or “investment”, depending on how they want their audiences to react. They use the phrase “boys and girls in uniform” or “military personnel” according to their intent. It is easy to see how this works. But people are smarter than that. Eventually, they will catch on that the speakers mean the same thing with the new words that they meant with the old ones. Once the speakers realize that they’ve been found out, it’s on to a new generation of equivocations, ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

Anyone who has ever worked with the deaf culture understands what it means to be straightforward and direct. Most deaf persons don’t clutter up their communication with equivocations, minced words and fluff. In fact, their style of speech is considered blunt or even rude to most hearing people. They don’t fool around with “obese”, “rotund”, “plump” or even “overweight.” They just say “fat.” They certainly would not say that someone was “aesthetically challenged.” No way. They’re just “ugly.” Because of the inherent constraints on their ability to communicate, they streamline their words to get at the meaning. When talking to hearing people, they often show great irritation because hearing people always “beat around the bush” instead of just coming out and saying what they mean. Many times, they even accuse hearing people of lying.

When big words are appropriate, use them. When the meaning you need to get across must diffuse hostilities, don’t use inflammatory words to stir up emotions. When the subject at hand is inherently complex, use language that is commensurate with the level of difficulty. Don’t talk up or down to people, don’t patronize people and don’t lie to people. My uncle used to say of a certain lawyer, “he was inebriated with the exuberance of his own verbosity.” He meant that he liked to hear himself talk. At the end of the day, word choice must be a function of expeditiousness. (What?!) Let me re-phrase. Choose words that best convey your specific meaning to your particular audience. If there is a precise word that applies to a thought, use it, and then explain it if you must. “Thingy, whatchamacallit, thing-a-ma-jig, do-hickey or ‘you know what I mean,’” are the first havens of the ignorant or lazy.

Oh yes. Floccinaucinihilipilification. It means, “the act or habit of estimating or describing something as worthless, or making something to be worthless by deprecation”, according to Wikipedia. It would be worth your time to log on to Wikipedia and listen to the pronunciation of this word. It probably would not be worth your time to think of how to use it in a sentence. Good wordsmithing.

To Be Like Jesus

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27

If you want to put your head around essential Christianity, this is it. It’s the big TEN on the one-to-ten scale. The rest of the stuff—-no matter how awesome—-plays only a supporting role. The main event has always been, and must continue to be, Christ-likeness. So, how do we do it?

To be like Jesus means to make him your ideal. Jesus is the highest good, the source of wisdom, the standard of perfection, the unrivaled champion of the scriptures. Without Him, we have only unexplained ceremonies, unachieved purposes, unsatisfied longings and unfulfilled prophecies. Without Christ the old law is a river which has lost its way to the sea, a swift-flying arrow with no target and a magnificent eagle with no roosting branch. Jesus Christ forms the centripetal point of the law—-everything converges upon Him, and the centrifugal point of grace—-everything emerges from Him. He is the theme of both Old and New Testaments, the raison d’être to every dispensation of time, the reflection of every great personage and the substance of every great type. He is the arch-superlative. He is the writer’s masterpiece, the composer’s magnum opus, the architect’s signature creation, the artist’s exposition work, the mountain climber’s Mt. Everest, the scientist’s Nobel prize, the soldier’s Purple Heart, the actor’s Oscar, the Olympian’s gold medal, the sports hero’s championship ring, the miner’s mother lode, the judge’s landmark decision, the investor’s windfall and the inventor’s chef-d’oeuvre. Jesus is the best, highest, greatest, biggest, farthest, widest, richest and finest.

To be like Jesus means to see him as the pattern for your life. “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.” Ephesians 5:2. You need not be at a loss as to what to do in any given situation. You have his example, his testimony, his words, his record. What should you do if you are attacked? Criticized? Lied upon? Betrayed? Forgotten? Rejected? Victimized? Just do what Jesus did.

To be like Jesus means to obey his commandments. “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. Jesus is not just your facilitator, your aide or consultant. He speaks with absolute authority. Omnipotent and omniscient, he has the perspective of eternity. He is Alpha and Omega, beginning and ending, first and last. He was here before he arrived and left while he was still here. One man said, “He is the miracle between the virgin’s womb and the empty tomb. He came through a door marked ‘No Entrance’ and left through a door marked ‘No Exit.’” He conquers disease; stills storms; quiets chaos; restores organs; destroys demons; defeats debaters; speaks creatively; teaches without error and knows the future. Yet, we do not keep his commandments for these reasons alone; we keep his commandments because we love him!

To be like Jesus means to submit to him. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. Submission means surrendering your rights; accepting a higher authority over you; forfeiture of position, privilege and place. At Gethsemane , Jesus submitted his flesh to the Father. At our new birth, we submit our body, soul and spirit to Christ. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:1-2

To be like Jesus means to identify with him. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” Romans 6:3. A uniform identifies the wearers group; the name and bloodline identifies and shows distinction from all others. We are identified with Christ by means of his name and his blood. This makes baptism in the name of Jesus supremely significant. All the things that make us unique should be worn as a badge of honor.

To be like Jesus means to be adopted into him. “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15. In the sense that we are sinful flesh, we are not made in the total likeness of Christ. Adoption covers this gap in identity. Adoption confers legal and moral force of a naturally born child to his or her parents. Adopted children are often called by cruel names by their tormentors to deny their identity and legitimacy. For us, such epithets fall meaninglessly to the ground.

To be like Jesus means to be defined by him. “Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God .’” John 3:5-8. The DNA encoding transferred by the parents instructs the body how to grow, what shape and size it will be, and every feature down to the most miniscule molecule. Our new birth defines our values, ideals, goals, ambitions, dreams, visions, gifts, talents and everything about this life and the next. Yes, it limits our reach, but deity defines the limits! So…drop everything to pursue Christ; direct everything to conform to him; define everything to function like him. We have no greater—-no other—-purpose.