To the Point

Though clichés can often become overused and misunderstood.  They are also a quick (often humorous) way to get something across in just a few words that are readily understand by large percentage of the population.

Were you aware that many of today’s well-known clichés were taken from the scriptures? (See below, but please note that the King James Version of the Bible is used for all clichés. Various versions have been used for verse references for the sake of clarity.)

§  Apple of His Eye-This is a cherished individual or object. As part of Moses song, “He found him out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland.
He threw his arms around him, lavished attention on him, guarding him as the apple of his eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10, MSG)

§  Be All Things to all Men-A person displaying different personalities to a variety of individuals in order to please everyone (or avoid controversy). This is exhausting and difficult to do. In I Corinthians 9:22 (ERV) the Apostle Paul said, “To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I have become all things to all people. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible.”

§  Beat Swords into Plowshares-This refers to changing to peaceful activities. “Then he will judge disputes between nations and settle arguments between many people. They will hammer their swords into plow blades and their spears into pruning shears. Nations will never fight against each other, and they will never train for war again” (Isaiah 2:4, GW)

§  Den of Thieves-The wrong crowd to associate with, or a place where your guard must always be up. Matthew 21:13 (AMPC) gives some of the story behind Jesus cleansing the temple of its filth.   He said to them; the scripture says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.”

§  I Am Not My Brother’s Keeper-It is not taking appropriate blame when one is guilty. Cain kills Abel out of jealousy. (They are the two sons of Adam and Eve.) Genesis 4:9 (ICB) is the result of Cain’s bad decision.  Later, the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain answered, “I don’t know. Is it my job to take care of my brother?”

§  In the Twinkling of an Eye-It happens rather quickly. I Corinthians 15:52 (CEV) refers to the second coming of Jesus. “It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so that we will never die again.”

§  Their (My) Name is Legion-In a Roman army; a legion was a troop of least 6,000 soldiers. This word can also refer to “many.” Jesus asks the name of a demonically possessed man. Mark 5:9 (TLB) gives the outcome. “What is your name?” Jesus asked, and the demon replied, “Legion, for there are many of us here within this man.”

There is nothing confusing, corny, or cliché about the Heavenly Father’s love for you. John 3:16 (NCV) tells us all just how much we mean to Him.

“God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.”

You can trust the wisdom of a close Friend who values your well-being more than He did the life of His only Child. The Almighty’s decisions may not always make sense. In the end God always knows best. Trust that you are in good hands (John 10:28-29).

*Adapted from The Dictionary of Clichés by James Rogers.