I find it incredibly convenient to order things online these days. Especially things that I keep forgetting to buy when I go to the store.
So from time to time I get an email from the seller requesting a review of something I purchased.
This morning I got an email with this subject line, "We need you to write an epic review for your Amazon Order!"
Wow, what could I have ordered that required not just an ordinary review, but an "epic review"?
I opened the email...
Umm, in my garage I have a big blackboard, left on the wall from the previous owner. I ordered ordinary white chalk so I can write on it. How was I supposed to write an earth-shattering, epic review about... chalk?
One definition of epic is, "a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation."
And epic tale about chalk?
This got me thinking about how much we throw words around. Words like epic, or amazing or awesome.
The problem with this is that when we cheapen the meaning of the word, it loses its impact when it is used in its right and proper place.
For example, let's take the word awesome.
"Have you had the ice-cream at Sunni Sky's? It's awesome!"
This word gets used a lot, but what does it really mean?
Awesome: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.
synonyms: breathtaking, awe-inspiring, magnificent, wonderful, amazing, stunning, staggering, imposing, stirring, impressive; formidable, fearsome, dreaded; mind-boggling, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, excellent, marvelous.
Using the correct meaning of the word, can ice-cream really be awesome?
The challenge really comes when we read the Bible. The Bibles is translated from Greek and Hebrew using the correct word, in its proper place.
For example, reading Psalm 66, notice the word "awesome"
"Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name."
Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind! - Psalm 66:1-5 (emphasis mine)
The common use of the word "awesome" has lowered the impact of what the psalmist is saying here. God is awesome, just like Sunni Sky's ice cream?
To jar us away from this for a moment, let's read verse three in another way.
"Say to God, "How breathtaking, awe-inspiring, magnificent, wonderful, amazing, stunning, staggering, imposing, stirring, impressive; formidable, fearsome, dreaded; mind-boggling, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, excellent, marvelous. are your deeds!'
That's very different isn't it?
When reading the Bible, it's good to keep in mind that what has been done to our language can have an effect on how we read the word of God.
