A young lady at a sales counter said to me, “Have a nice one.” Yesterday someone said to me, “Take care.” Last weekend someone said to me, “God bless.” Of course, I think I know what they meant but a horrible streak of cynicism wanted to ask, “Nice what?” or “Care of what?” or “Bless what?”
I hear people blaming our abbreviated speaking on our texting to our “BFF” and “LOL.” However, I don’t think so. I believe it has something to do with intimacy. It is easier to say “love you” than “I love you.” By adding the “I” we have deepened the meaning. By adding “you” to “God bless” we have personalized our feelings in a much more significant way. You might think I am crazy and ask me to defend this position and I am not sure I can. I just know that somehow on some level it is easier to leave off the “I”. It feels different.
There is the issue of how do we respond when someone says, “I love you.” Suddenly we feel obligated to return with “I love you too.” But maybe we don’t. Then what do we say? “Thanks” or “Me too” or take the easy way and say, “Love you.” Two words do not imply a commitment while three words do. God has committed Himself to us. John 3:16 doesn’t say, “God so loved.” It says, “God so loved the world.” That’s us. Jesus didn’t say, “Father forgive.” He said, “Father forgive them.”
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 20, 2013
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org