Month: February 2022

Recently, we had a freeze in Florida.  Although we covered our plants, several leaves of our pineapple plant got frost-bitten.  When I checked online to see what I should do about it, the information I read said to cut off the damaged leaves.  So I did.  In the meantime, my husband read something online that said do not cut off the leaves.  This happened because we read two different opinions about the same subject.

That got me thinking…

My friend Merriam Webster defines ‘opinion’ as:

1. A view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter
2. Belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge
3. A generally held view
4. A formal expression of judgment or advice by an expert
5. The formal expression (as by a judge, court, or referee) of the legal reasons and principles upon which a legal decision is based

As you can see from all the definitions above, opinions are subjective.  Consequently, there can be multiple, varying opinions on the same topic.  And because opinions are subjective, agreeing with those opinions is also subjective.  There is no absolute one-right opinion.  Adherence to any opinion is a personal choice.

You may also notice that the definitions seem to progress in order of increasing levels of perceived validity.  An opinion starts with an impression.  It becomes a generally held view when many people share the same opinion.  Eventually it can become formal expert advice when it is not only shared by many, but also accepted by the majority.  Each level seems to give an opinion more credibility. 

We are always forming opinions.  It is a natural process of the mind.    For instance, I try a new dish.  Whether I eat it again or not is based on my opinion of its taste.  Take that a step further, my tastebuds are probably different than yours.  So we could have varied, even contrasting opinions about the same dish.  Neither is right nor wrong – just different.  This applies to just about everything!  Think about it – what we eat, what we wear, how we do things, where we live, our entertainment, our careers, colors, styles, and what we think about life in general – all are products of our opinions.  And the sum of our opinions makes us uniquely who we are.  We are not supposed to all be the same!  I revel in being an individual.  I don’t want to just mindlessly follow the crowd.  I am considered opinionated.

Our opinions may not agree with someone else’s.  They might even provoke opposing opinions from someone, but that is okay.  There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone’s opinion, it just means that we have a different point of view.  We could say that the more we disagree, the less we have in common; and it is difficult to build a relationship with someone with whom we have nothing in common.  Still, a difference of opinion does not need to be adversarial.  However, friendships are built among those who do share many of the same or similar opinions because we have much in common.  We are drawn to those whose opinions agree with ours.

Our opinions are most often shaped by our experiences but can be also a result of something we were taught.  Although, in that case, it is generally our experience regarding what we were taught that solidifies our opinion.  This is why we see such a vast variety of opinions in the world.  We’ve all had a multiplicity of experiences that left distinct impressions on us, which in turn influence our perceptions going forward.  That is why people can go through the same experience at the same time and come out with diverse opinions.

Our opinions are also subject to change.  This is evident as we age – certainly our opinions now are not the same as the ones we held as children!  Since we are always learning new things, our opinions evolve with that growth.  We’ve all experienced this.  Have you ever changed a product you use because someone recommended a different one?  Have you ever changed the way you do something because someone showed you an easier way to do it?  You changed your opinion.

Opinions do have a dark side that is revealed when anyone decides that their opinion is the only right one.  We’ve seen this in persons of authority who endeavor to assert their opinions as the only rule.  We’ve seen it in individuals who try to force their opinions on others in an effort to promote themselves.  We’ve seen the effects of it in our own lives if we’ve ever taken someone’s negative opinion of us too personally.  We must not forget that opinions are SUBJECTIVE. 

Merriam Webster says that the essential definition of ‘subjective’ is: “relating to the way a person experiences things in his or her own mind”.  It also says that it’s “based on feelings or opinions rather than facts”.  Hence, it is important to keep opinions in their proper place.  It is often said, “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion”, but my husband always adds, “But I don’t have to agree with them!” 

All of this discussion about opinions is to say that opinions are fine, even necessary, but they are not a source of truth.  And according to MW, they aren’t necessarily even a source of facts.  But sometimes we believe them none-the-less.  Opinions are used to sell products, to solicit support for causes, to persuade alliances, and in the worst-case-scenario, to blind people’s minds. 

There are no constants in this world except the ones that God set up.  The sun comes up in the morning and sets in the evening every day.  Nobody’s opinion can change that!  (But people still try – lol)  We cannot allow the opinions that are running rampant in today’s society to cloud our judgement or stunt our growth.  Remember, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  We don’t need to be afraid of opinions, we just need to think for ourselves and hold on to what is right.

When I said earlier that there is no absolute one-right opinion, that is true because God’s Word is not an opinion.  God’s Word is truth, which is always right!  It is an absolute constant that cannot be changed.  Of course, many people have opinions about God’s Word, but none of those affect the truth or the power of God.  We must cling to the truth that we know and use that as our only rule of faith and practice.  We cannot allow any opposing opinions to sway us from that truth.  We must weigh not only the opinions of others, but also our own opinions against that standard. 

The world is overflowing with people’s opinions.  Not all of them are bad, but not all are good either.  Guard the opinion making process in your mind by utilizing the truth of God’s Word as your guide.  God doesn’t mind that our opinions differ on worldly things, but He directs us to be like-minded on His Word.  When our opinions are in alignment and harmony with God’s Word, we will live a life that is more than abundant!  

Note to my readers:  In God’s opinion, you are wonderful!  And I share His opinion.  Thanks for reading! 

P.S.  There will be no blog next Friday, but I will resume on March 4th. 

February often gets a bad rap.  The reason being that it seems like winter is at its worst in February.  Living up north, it usually starts getting COLD by November.  But throughout November and December, the holidays claim our attention, so we are not so focused on the weather.  Then in January, we are recovering from the holidays, so the weather again may take a backseat.  But come February, we are over it all.  Cabin fever sets in, and the cold and snow are no longer appreciated.  Add to this, the ground hog telling us that there will be 6 more weeks of winter and we just want to explode!

Down south, winter is not as severe, but considering that southerners are acclimatized to summer’s heat, the dreary rainy cold of winter is equally unappreciated.  And by February, we also are over it all!

So no matter where we live, the doldrums of winter seem to hit in February, just like the doldrums of summer hit in August.  Hence February’s bad rap. 

But let’s think about winter a little bit.  Of course, up north, winter brings ice and snow, which can make travel of any kind treacherous.  However, I have seen beautiful snowfalls with snowflakes as big as saucers falling silently and gently to the ground.  I’ve seen pure white snow conceal all the somber grays and browns of nature’s winter-hibernation.  And I’ve seen the morning sun on an icy coating on all the trees that shimmered like a million diamonds.  So, even though snow and ice can hinder our mobility, there is great beauty in winter’s handiwork. 

Winter also brings short days.  It can be very frustrating to drive to work in the dark and home from work in the dark when your workday ends at 4 pm!  Something about it getting dark so early can keep us indoors, inactive, and dismayed.   But – have you ever seen the moon and the stars on a winter’s night?  The air is crystal clear, the sky is as black as coal, the moon is vividly distinct, and the stars sparkle with almost blinding brilliance.  It is a sight to behold! 

Also winter is cold, usually freezing cold.  It can be so cold that it seems like we can’t be warm outdoors in any amount of clothing.  There were times that I felt like my bones were cold, even though I was tightly bundled in my long-johns, clothes, extra sweater, coat, hat, gloves, scarf, wool socks, and boots.  But how wonderful it felt to come indoors and have a hot cup of tea.  Somehow those were the best cups of tea ever!   Did you ever notice that there are no bugs when it’s freezing?  If any manage to make it inside, they are slow moving and easy to get rid of.  Without the cold, ponds would not freeze for ice-skating, and hills wouldn’t become snowy slopes for sledding. 

Those are just a few of my observations of winter.  I’m sure you could add many more.  Winter evokes feelings from just about everyone.  Some people hate it and some love it.  Most of us are somewhere in between.  But think about it… winter comes every year regardless of our feelings about it.  We can’t stop winter by not liking it, nor can we start it by liking it.  Even if we don’t care one way or the other, winter happens! 

As I mentioned above, winter has both positive and negative faces.  If you are a skier or ice-skater, winter might be the highlight of your year.  If you are a truck driver, probably not so much.  For those reasons, we cannot classify winter as all bad, nor can we say it is all good.  It’s a matter of perspective and we cannot assert our own perspective as the only right one.

All of that being said, it seems that winter offers some good analogies for life…

Winter comes every year whether we like it or not.  The best way to handle winter is to focus on the positives and not on the negatives.  Life happens whether we like it or not.  The best way to handle life is to focus on the positives of God’s Word and not the negatives of the world. 

God’s love surrounds us like wearing an enormous coat with quadruple+ layers of down filling that covers us from head to toe.  It might still be cold outside, but we are safe and warm.  If we focus on the world, we might as well be thrown in a snowbank in our underwear. 

God’s promises are as exciting as doing a triple axel in figure skating.  The empty promises of the world are like skating on thin ice.

God’s light shines like the morning sun on ice covered trees.  Its radiance illuminates our eyes like fireworks.  The world’s idea of light is like striking a match in a blizzard.

God’s words are as pure as an untouched blanket of fresh fallen snow.  The rhetoric of the world is like the yellow snow that your mother warned you about.

God’s peace is like snowflakes descending quietly through the sky.  The world’s peace is like skidding out of control on an icy road.

I could keep going, but I think you get the idea. 

When we with patience look toward the Lord’s return, we understand that everything now in this life is temporal.  Remembering that helps us get through life, even in February!

Note to my readers:  Spring will be here before we know it – smile!  Thanks for reading!

A few months ago I wrote about words and the importance of what we say and how we say it.  I’ve been thinking about words again and what they can do for us. 

Like great works of art, great words can move us.  The first time that I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I cried.  Seeing the actual paintings that I had seen only in books beforehand was an exciting experience for me.  It gave me a whole new perspective on the art that I had always admired. 

The first time that I read “Charlotte’s Web”, I cried.  I was only 9 years old, but it stirred me, which is pretty incredible considering that I was touched by the death of a spider!   This was my first experience with the art of words. 

Then, I heard the Bible taught so that I could understand it, and I cried.  Understanding the words that beforetime were merely print on a page, changed my life.  And although I appreciate many forms of art, God’s matchless Word surpasses them all!

The Bible is the greatest of all works of art.  It was ‘painted’ with words that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the spirit of God.  (2 Peter 1:21)  These words are truth, and they are the words of life.  A painting may move us, and a book may inspire us, but neither can save us.  Only God’s Word can do that!  And for that reason, the Bible is the most valuable thing that we have in our lives. 

The Bible is composed of words.  Words that God wants us to know.  Words that have a great impact on our lives.  Words that teach us about God.  One of those words is “love”.   It is that word in its various forms that I would like to explore this week. 

The word love is commonplace these days.  People ‘love’ everything from shoes to pizza.  I myself am guilty of indiscriminate use of the word, but in my mind, I qualify it in the context.  For example, I say, “I love my house”.  That means thankfulness to me.  I am very thankful for my house. It’s my dream house.   Also, I say things like, “I love movies”.  That means enjoyment to me.  But somehow saying, “I enjoy movies”, doesn’t seem to be a strong enough statement.  However, neither of these are statements of real love – that’s just the word I use.  But when I say, “I love my family and my friends”, I mean that I love them and actually it also includes enjoying them and being thankful for them.  But this love involves affection, commitment, compassion, and selfless giving.  And it is patterned after the true love that the Bible teaches. 

There are three Greek words used in the Bible that are translated “love”.  But the one I want to consider is “agape”, which is “the love of God”.  Even though it is a Greek word, it is familiar to many Christians.  The verb form, “agapao” is used in John 3:16, which gives us some insight into its character.  “Agape” appears in the New Testament 117 times, and “agapao”, 142 times.  These numbers alone indicate that God has much to say about His love.

God’s love is unconditional.  His love is eternal.  His love is beyond our comprehension.  God gives His love freely to us.  He withholds no good thing from us.  God’s love is the foundation for everything that He has made us to be, for everything that we have been given, and for everything that the future holds for us.  God’s love heals us, delivers us, protects us, and guides us. 

Remembering that God loves us, changes things.  Try looking in the mirror and saying, “God loves me!”  You might have to repeat those words a few times before they sink in, but when they do, you will see your burdens lifted and a new spring in your step.  Words did that for you. 

I make little notes for myself to remind me of things.  One such note is something I heard in a Bible teaching.  It says, “Do you see yourself as someone that God deeply loves?”  I must admit that is a difficult question for me sometimes.  But regardless of my reservations, I am someone that God deeply loves – AND SO ARE YOU!  Many times we are called “beloved” in the Bible.  That is the way God looks at us.  We must hold on to those loving words, and cling to God’s declaration of love for us.

But God’s love isn’t just something we receive; it is also something that we are supposed to give.  We are instructed in the Bible (by words) to love one another.  Of course, we know that love is more than just saying the words; but think about what hearing those words means to us.  If no one ever told us that they loved us, it would be hard to believe that they did.  And the opposite is also true.  If someone told us that they loved us, but never acted like it, we would doubt their love as well.  Look at God’s example.   He tells us (in words) that He loves us over and over again.  And He demonstrates His love countless times in remarkable ways.  God says what He means and means what He says!  His words are perfect and pure.

Here are some great words to remember:

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

“Charity” in this verse both times is the Greek word “agape”.   Faith and hope are great, but the greatest is God’s love.  Allow these words to permeate your thinking every day and see what they will do for you! 

Note to my readers:  Words are the lifeline between us.  Thanks for reading!