There, Their, They’re. Do Words Matter?

There, there, now.  They’re there now.  They’re theirs now.  Do words matter?  You better believe it!  In the previous three phrases, one is a statement of comfort; one a statement of arrival; and one a statement of ownership.  But if they all sound the same, how can they mean such different things?  I must admit that one of my chief complaints about social media posting by many is that whatever the writer was taught in English class must not have made an impression.  The misuse of homophones like your and you’re, and there, their, and they’re just drives me crazy!  Does it really matter in the whole scheme of life?  YES!!

When God penned His Word to us, the Bible says every word makes a difference because it was inspired – literally “God-breathed” – by the Holy Spirit:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.   2 Timothy 3:16

When the writers of Scripture used stylus or quill to pen their words, those words were coming from God’s heart to us through them so we wouldn’t miss the point or the truth.  If the Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), it means everyone.  When Paul wrote “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13), God directed him to use the word “everyone”.  He didn’t say “some” or “people who like hymns” or “folks who think like you do”.  God said EVERYONE who cries out to Jesus for salvation gets it.  Do YOU get that?

Why is it so important that each word means what it says?  It’s all about trust.  When there’s no one in this life you believe you can rely on, God is trustworthy.  When others lie to you and let you down, He is faithful and true.  When you aren’t sure it’s worth getting out of bed in the morning, God gives you purpose.  And when life is just about finished for you and you lie in bed wondering whether there is a “great adventure” coming next or just empty nothingness, trust these words that were perfectly formed and written just for you:

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”  And the One sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”   Revelation 21:3-5

Trustworthy and True.  Just like God.  THAT’S why words matter so much.  The apostle, John, recorded that Jesus said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance” (John 10:10).  Now what do you think He meant by that? 

Jacob