Words matter.
They matter a lot in school. Even in math classes, I tried to impress on students the importance of using words correctly while avoiding excessive sarcasm and trying not to become the frumpy grammar police.
For example, they insisted supposably was a real word when they meant supposedly. They also used irregardless rather than regardless.
One of my favorites, though, was when a student dismissed a challenging notion with “I could care less.” This one’s not only incorrect – it communicates the opposite of its intended meaning.
Students don’t magically inherit incorrect words and phrases, of course. They learn them, often from adults or from incessant media exposure. So I cringed a bit recently when a supposedly well-educated pundit punctuated an opinion with, “Honestly, I could care less.”
As I thought about what he meant to say – I couldn’t care less – I realized how that attitude permeates so much of our culture. Unless it impacts me or someone close to me, our culture seems to convey I couldn’t care less.
It’s the opposite of Jesus’ message. Jesus surrendered everything to become one of us. Then He gave His life for us. In the words of my friend Dick Foth:
Jesus left His place
And came to our place
Then He took our place
So He could take us to His place
We might say – Jesus couldn’t care more.
And then He said, “Follow me.”
So if you and I are trying to follow Jesus, to take on His character, to follow Him, it seems pretty clear. We should ask Him to help us to be people who couldn’t care more about what Jesus cared about.
Justice. The marginalized. Our neighbor. Grace. Mercy.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.