Words are amazing! We use them to communicate. We use them to express our feelings. We use them to challenge, inspire, admonish, reprimand, praise, compliment, accuse, scold, tease, instruct, etc. Words are the way we explain things, define things and understand things.
Sometimes words seem a little strange! For example: Why is that we "drive" on a "parkway" and "park" on a "driveway?" Why is it that we ride "on" a bus, but we ride "in" a car? Do you really want to get "on" the plane when you are flying? Wouldn't it make more sense to get "in" the plane? You get the idea! Sometimes words are funny.
I was thinking the other day about our use of the words "Didn't" and "Doesn't." It occurred to me that knowing the will of God for our lives is often as simple as knowing the proper placing of these words. When we want to justify our actions we simply adjust the placing of these words in the sentence! Let me explain!
Think about the difference between these two sentences:
"Didn't Jesus tell us the forgive others?"
"Jesus didn't tell us to forgive others."
Wow! Talk about meaning too different things! All by simply changing the placing of one word!
Here are some more examples:
"Didn't Jesus tell us to live a life of holiness?"
Jesus didn't tell us to live a life of holiness."
"Didn't Jesus tell us that the love of money is the root of all evil?"
"Jesus didn't tell us that the love of money is the root of all evil"
"Doesn't God's word instruct husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church?"
"God's word doesn't instruct husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church."
Doesn't God instruct us to serve others?"
God doesn't instruct us to serve others."
"Didn't Christ tell us to show love and compassion to others?"
"Christ didn't tell us to show love and compassion to others."
"Doesn't the Bible say marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman?"
"The Bible doesn't say marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman."
I think you get the idea! Sometimes knowing God's will for us is hard to figure out. Sometimes it is as easy as keeping "didn't" and "doesn't" in the proper order. Just something to think about.
Till next time...
Stuart
