As a linguist, I’ve long had a fascination with words in general, and have spent a good part of my life learning what words mean (especially in other languages.) Whilst it’s satisfying to be able to find the equivalent word in another language, it’s even more fascinating to dig deep into the etymology of words and how these have changed their meanings over time. For example, not only did it help to learn that ‘disciple’ came from the Latin ‘discipulus’ when I was learning to spell (since the -c in this word is silent in English), it was interesting to learn this originally meant ‘learner’ and only later came to mean a ‘follower of Jesus.’
A definition is a formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word or phrase. It becomes definitive in the sense that it makes a meaning definite or outlined. Knowing my name or my title or my job or being able to define what I look like are all useful ways to outline who I am. Sometimes, however, a definition can become limiting. If I am only known as ‘Garry’s wife’ or ‘Stephen’s mother‘, this does not fully describe me. All too often we can be labelled by other people, and even by ourselves, in ways that only tell half the story. Sometimes, even more worryingly, the definitions we use are not even that accurate. They may be out of date, based on erroneous information or wrong views of ourselves.
Rend Collective sing ‘The pain will not define us.’ (‘Joy’) Anyone who has suffered even toothache know how debilitating pain can be and how difficult it can be to think of anything else when it is raging. It is not, however, the sum total of who we are. Similarly, we have to be careful that we define ourselves in God rather than simply seeing ourselves with natural eyes. Eugene Peterson writes “The times in which we live are not definitive for our lives. Technology does not define our existence. Postmodern does not determine how we live. Psychologism does not account for who we are. Secularism is a slovenly, makeshift attempt to make sense of us and the world around us.” (‘Subversive Spirituality,’ P 72)
He goes on to say, when writing of Isaiah’s life-changing experience with the Holy One in Isaiah 6, “in unholy times, in an unholy place, Isaiah was plunged into the holy. He was given a holy vision, the Lord ruling in holiness, the song of holy angels filling the air with holy sounds.” The temple was not defined by what the king Uzziah had done in defiling it. Isaiah was not defined by the times in which he lived (which seemed far from promising!) Nor are we. We can only be fully defined – and understood – by God. Life is not to be defined by our possessions. (Luke 12:15) We are not to be defined by the world. (John 17:12-14, The Message) God defines our life. (1 Cor 7:17, The Message) He is the One who gives shape, meaning and form to our existence. He is our definition, for ‘Christ is all and is in all.’ (Col 3:11)