There is one word that will never be wrong

I recently read an article posted online and I now have no recollection of what it was about. It was followed by several comments from different readers. One of the responses posted distracted me from pondering any further on the article itself. I’m assuming the commenter was trying to express that the article had helped her see things from a new perspective. I think she meant to say that she had gained insight from the article, but instead she used the word incite. It sounds the same, but means something completely different. One is internal understanding, the other is external action.

Not too many days after being incited about insight, I read a social media post where a commenter stated he was going to be a paw bearer at a funeral. Not a pallbearer, but a paw bearer. Maybe I’m clueless about some unusual kind of paw related ritual or tradition, so can someone please tell me what kind of paws you bring to a funeral?

One day I drove over to pick up my husband for lunch. I parked outside of his office and sent him a one-word text, “Here.”  I assumed he would know from that text that I was outside waiting on him.  I didn’t realize until after I hit send that I must have made a typo because the autocorrect feature on my phone changed “Here” to “Jerry.”  My husband wondered who in the world Jerry was. I did too.   

On another lunchtime adventure, I went through a fast food drive-thru and ordered a hamburger. The voice coming out of the speaker box asked me to repeat my order. The second time I spoke slowly and a little louder. Then I made my way up to the window, gave the cashier exact change, took my paper sack, and drove away. Later I read the printed receipt and realized what might have caused the order-taker to need the order repeated. The receipt showed that I had not ordered a hamburger, but rather, a cheeseburger without cheese. Instead of one word for what it actually is, it seems I ordered something that took three words to explain what it is not. It’s the same sandwich, but the words that describe it are apparently different depending on whether you’re making it or eating it.

When I sit down in front of my computer to write a column, I always try to rely on inspiration from God as I type the words and sentences. Sometimes it comes long before I sit down to type. Other times I stare at a blank page on the screen for longer than I want to admit. Perhaps I need to rely on God for more than just inspiration because in the end, my spelling and grammar always need to be corrected. I always read what I’ve written several times before I show it to anyone. The first time I read over something I’ve written, I correct spelling errors. The second time I read it, I correct spelling errors again. The third time I read over it, I’m still correcting spelling errors and maybe some grammar. Then I give it to someone else to read and they find errors that I have to correct. Chances are probably pretty good that even when I submit something I’ve written and reread several times, the editor will still find and correct errors.

The point of all this business about words is that we all get them wrong sometimes. Words are important and because of that, using the wrong ones can be frustrating and embarrassing. But there is one word that will never be wrong. John’s gospel says that this Word became flesh and dwelt among us and that his glory is full of grace and truth as the one and only Son of God.

Imagine that. The perfect Word is always right here with us. This Word has been here since the beginning, with God. Everything was created through this Word. Then, God gave this Word, his one and only Son, to us so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life. That’s the only Word we can trust to be faithful and true. It’s the Word that has insight on every need there is, the Word that autocorrect will never change, the Word that knows your name, the Word that knows the difference between a hamburger and a cheeseburger because they were probably His idea.  The Word is Jesus.

The was originally published June 10, 2017 on The Press and Standard website.