I once saw this brainteaser: “What do these words have in common: polish, job, herb?” I knew that one was a liquid, another work, and the third a plant. But other than that they didn’t seem to have any relationship.

Sometimes things in our lives that appear to have no meaning other than what is common to our understanding, can end up altering our whole life with just one modification. For instance, the word “love” is most often understood as: “having the feeling of affection for something or someone.” But in the Bible, love is best defined as: “giving your all for God and others.” Likewise with “hope.” To most it means: “keep wishing for something you’ve been promised.” But in the Bible it is described as: “taking possession of something promised even if you don’t see it yet.” And the word “faith” is most often taken as a synonym for “belief or believing.” But in Scripture it is used to define consistency, steadfastness, and assurance.

So what about polish, job and herb. Well, if you write them this way: Polish – it is an ethnicity; Job – a book in the Bible; and Herb is a man’s name. So look at what words in your life can have a whole different meaning when they go from being common to being proper. Then you’ll notice the difference between man’s word and God’s Word. – Robert R. Seyda