Word Power

We need to be careful when judging folks, or assuming what or who people are based on names, labels, tags or titles. Words often mean entirely different things to different people. I’ve been a Baptist all my life, but a Baptist today can be anything from Anglican to Pentecostal.

For most of my life, the word gay meant impetuous, joyous, lively, merry, happy or lighthearted; or in reference to colors it meant bright or brilliant. Now it almost exclusively refers to a homosexual. That’s quite a change from my original teaching.

Liberal use to mean belonging to the people, not restricted; it also meant giving freely, generous, large or plentiful, not restricted, broad-minded, tolerant. Liberal can refer to democratic or republican forms of government as distinguished from monarchies or aristocracies. Politically today, liberal means someone that wants to spend it all, or give it all away, someone who is wasteful. However I still want my government to be liberal when it comes to old folks and children. Often I hear conservative preachers say liberal like it was a profane word, but they still want us to be liberal with our tithes and offerings. And I believe the good Samaritan in Luke 10 was very much a liberal.

The word amateur has been misused over the years to the point that it has lost its original meaning. By definition, an amateur is someone who does something simply for the enjoyment of it. In today’s way of thinking, if you get paid for doing something, you’re a professional, so you must be really good at it. Subsequently, you would do a better job than an amateur. We all know from experience that that isn’t necessarily so. I’m reminded of the old joke about the Titanic being built by professionals while the Ark was built by an amateur. Jesus didn’t choose the wise, mighty, or noble by human standards (1 Cor. 1:26). He sought those willing to follow Him. Things are much the same today, God is still looking for “amateurs,” those compelled by love who will serve Him for the sheer joy of it.