Fridays are for ‘Reclaiming Words!’

The intent of this series is to explore words that I think need to be introduced — or re-introduced — to this current generation of college students.

These words have lost their meaning… or have been mis-used or redefined in unhelpful ways… and therefore need to be reclaimed and redefined (again) so that they can be realized by our students!

Today’s word: YES.

It’s a word that, among other things, is used to express: acknowledgment, affirmation, consent, agreement, or approval.

Yes… I see (acknowledgment)

Yes… of course (affirmation)

Yes… I will (consent)

Yes… me too (agreement)

Yes… that’s great (approval)

Yes has become a word that’s too flippantly thrown about in our culture today — because we say it… even though we don’t mean it.

We say “yes”… but what we’re really saying is, “please move on, please move along, I don’t want to talk about this… or talk to you… anymore.”

Instead of being a true declaration of acknowledgment, affirmation, consent, agreement or approval… the word “YES!” has come to really mean something more like “yea, yea, yea… blah, blah, blah.”

This word ceases to have the kind of authoritative declaration that it once did.

“Yes” (in our culture today) could easily be substituted by any of the following words:

Maybe.

Kind of.

For now.

Until I find something else.

Until I find someone else.

No.

Until it gets hard.

Until I don’t care.

Until you make me upset.

Until I get bored.

Until something better comes along…

And I don’t mean to sound cynical, but it seems to me that a word as important as YES… a word as oft used and seemingly simple in definition as YES… ought to mean what it really means.

The Bible is full of “calls to commitment.” And I believe the word “yes” is intimately tied to the idea of commitment.

God pursues His creation… and extends an invitation.

Invitations require responses. They require action. Often… they require a commitment.

God wanted (and still wants) a relationship with His creation… but that relationship comes with a cost. It comes with strings… It comes with an obligation. Because relationships require active participation (and commitment) from two (or more) consenting parties.

In much the same ways that a marriage does.

Or friendships.

Or any other commitment that relates to relationships, roles or responsibilities.

While there are many passages the we could point to today… there is one that I want us to focus our attention on:

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” ~ Jesus (From the Sermon on the Mount — Matt. 5:33-37)

Simply say “yes.”

Or — let your yes be yes.

Or let your yes mean yes.

A message so significant that Jesus included it in His first formal address.

Mean what you say and say what you mean.

When you commit to something — honor that commitment.

Don’t approve of something… unless you really do!

We desperately need to reclaim the word “yes” for this upcoming generation… because their ability to commit to relationships and roles, as well as follow through on responsibilities (all of which have developmental ramifications) hangs in the balance.

How have you seen your students struggle to commit (or follow through) in relationships, roles and/or responsibilities?

How have the previous generations abuse of the word “yes” made way for our present interpretation of it?

How would you suggest we “reclaim” the word YES?