Donna Naborsyour Spiritual jewelry box.

 

Things and Thingies

What are things? I’ve called something a thingie because I couldn’t think of its actual name. The definition (from dictionary.com) of our word “thing” is “an object that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to” or “an inanimate material object as distinct from a living being.”

Did you know “thingie” is also in the dictionary? It’s any small item whose name is unknown or forgotten. So I would be correct in calling something that I cannot name a “thingie”. And I thought I made up that word (like Ariel in the Little Mermaid calling something a thingamabob).

Are things important? I guess that depends on what things. If you know me well, you know I love to research the actual meaning of words in scripture from the original language. Some of my favorite scriptures reference all things, whatsoever things, these things, those things, every thing.

Scripture talks about “things” in so many verses, but when I look up the original word or meaning for what we translate as “thing”, this word seems to be missing. It is added into our translations to communicate the meaning of the verse in our language. It’s not incorrect or skewing the meaning. It’s defining it for our understanding.

In most cases, I can remove the word “thing” and get the same or maybe even more direct meaning. My favorites would read all, whatsoever, these, those, and every.

A great example is Philippians 4:8 where we are told to think on these things. What things? Whatsoever (things) are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or praiseworthy. We are to think on these (things).

Big things. Small things. All things.

Have you ever had trouble believing big things yet also thinking God doesn’t care about the small things? The truth is God cares about it all, the big and the small. Even the thingies whose names we forget or don’t know.

When I can’t quite put into words what I want to pray about, God knows. If all I can pray is “God, help me with the thingies in my life that I can’t put into words,” He knows what those are.

Next time you read the word “thing”, see what happens if you leave that word out. You might need it for understanding or it might bring home a point without it.

What things are important to you? Or better yet, what is important to you? Perhaps we would all be better off to let go of things. I’d love to hear your thoughts.