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)
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.
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