Holy Grammar

{Note: I apologize for the break for the last two days. Blogspot was having some maintenance issues and I was unable to log in—you could read the posts, but I couldn’t get into the backside to upload or anything. In truth, I am grateful-it was a good vacation while I wrapped up the semester. But we’re back up now!}

A friend in the English department was reviewing a draft of my submission for “The Truth That Makes Them Free” anthology about which colleague Dr. Don Davis posted last month. In his comments, my friend quoted a Puritan proverb, “God loveth adverbs.”

The idea here is that God cares more about how we do things in our lives that He does about what we do. He said, “HOW you do something matters, and one should pursue one's calling to the utmost.” Paul said, “whatever you do, do it as to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:23-24) As faculty, we wrestle often with ‘integrating our faith and vocation.’ I strongly believe, and have shared here in various ways, that the primary way to work unto the Lord is in how we approach our work, because if that is not excellent in quality, then our words ring hollow.

Someone quipped, “I can’t hear your words because your actions are so loud.” This is why if I were to call anything a ‘life motto,’ it would be the words of St. Francis, “Always share your faith. If necessary, use words.” Some have criticized that words are necessary. I agree—it is hard sometimes to display the motivation for our actions solely through those actions. But if the actions aren’t there as a foundation, validating the message, then the message has credibility issues.

Christ explained explicitly this was the reason for His miracles, “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (John 10:37-38)

What adverbs describe your work and your life?

SDG