Do you believe being more confident and capable would improve the quality of our life? If so it becomes vital that we give each other, like a gift, a vibrant vocabulary.
I’m not suggesting a dull vocabulary is a sin that stains our soul, though it certainly shackles our mind and stifles our spiritual growth. How so?
An impoverished vocabulary limits our cognitive capabilities. In the absence of a widely varied vocabulary many insights, concepts, and ideas are simply out of our reach and we cannot fully grasp them without access to the precise words. Like guideposts along the highway, words direct our thoughts. Similar to pigments on an artist’s palette, the more words you have, the better you can paint a mental picture for yourself and others.
Jesus is titled/described as the Word, Scripture is God’s inspired word, God spoke the universe into existence. Words are essential and invaluable, they shouldn’t remain inaccessible.
Think of the times your doctor or mechanic diagnosed a problem, but then you felt a sense of embarrassment, dread, and inadequacy as they used words beyond your comprehension because their terminology exceeded your vocabulary. Now, think about visitors trying to decipher our cryptic church lingo and who are left feeling clueless, like you felt in your doctor’s office or the mechanic’s garage. Words are like tools in the workshop of our mind, or images from an MRI; words enable us to comprehend and adjust to the world around us.
An abundance of the proper words enables us to navigate the difficulties of work, relationships, and life in general. We need the correct words to communicate our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and the right words to resolve conflict and reduce confusion. Simply put, the more developed our vocabulary becomes, the more confident and capable we become.
Consider implementing these standards for our vocabulary when practicing our faith publicly as the church: First, be conscientious of visitors and novice-believers and purposely avoid language that would alienate them as we assemble. Secondly, use richer/deeper theological language in our assemblies that will strengthen our level of spiritual maturity. These transformative standards are not contradictory, but merging both of these ideas is challenging.
How do we establish a broader, thriving vocabulary? Not only do I cherish both my Johnson City and Kingsport public library cards, but many of the worthwhile books I have read required referencing a dictionary. If you want to improve the lives of those you mentor or influence, encourage a love of reading and introduce them to books/audio-books that stretch their vocabularies.
A prolific vocabulary makes possible the principles laid out in Col 4:6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” A high quality vocabulary fuels the power of persuasion as well as comprehension -- to be able to conceptualize and dialogue with ease about the Bible and the world we inhabit, we need to develop a more comprehensive vocabulary.
