Week Thirty, 2018
PHRASES USED IN EVERYDAY LIFE
By Senator John Grant, Florida (Retired)
The Gutenberg press was the greatest invention of all time – the internet of its day. Johann Gutenberg holds the distinction of being the inventor of the movable-type printing press. In 1455, Gutenberg produced what is considered to be the first book ever printed: a Latin language Bible, printed in Mainz, Germany. The printing press was one of the most important and influential inventions of all time. It spread knowledge and ideas to more people, more cheaply and more quickly than ever before. Its most famous publication was the Bible.
Gutenburg Press
Suddenly vast numbers of people who had never read a book had their own Bible and they began to memorize and be familiar with scripture. Verses of the Bible found their way into everyday language and many remain there today. Many people who are not believers quote every day and don’t even know it. Here are some examples:
▪ There is nothing new under the sun – Ecc 1:9
▪ Wolf in sheep’s clothing – Matt 7:15
▪ Skin of one’s teeth – Job 19:20
▪ What a man sows, he shall reap – Gal 6:7
▪ Double edged sword – Heb 5:12
▪ He who is not with me is against me – Luke 11:23
▪ Throw pearl before swine – Matt 7:6
▪ Salt of the earth – Matt 5:13
▪ Eye for an eye – Exodus 21:24
▪ Forbidden fruit – Genesis 3:3
▪ No man can serve two masters – Matt 6:24
▪ A cross to bear – Luke 14:24
▪ Faith will move mountains – Matt 17:20
▪ To wash one’s hands of something – Matt 27:24
▪ Better to give than to receive – Acts 20:25
▪ Face to face – Exodus 23:20
▪ You reap what you sow – Gal 6:7
▪ Faith will move mountains – Matt 17:20
And the list goes on. Those verses and hundreds of others are familiar to many who have never seen or read a Bible. Recently I was talking to an active member of the National Society of Atheists and in response to a suggestion she replied “I hope to God not.” Yes, even those who believe there is no God, often speak of His name. Be careful what you speak and who you say it to.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
While the United States remains shaped by Christianity, the faith’s influence—particularly as a force in American politics and culture—is slowly waning….
An increasing number of religiously unaffiliated, a steady drop in church attendance, the recent Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage, and the growing tension over religious freedoms all point to a larger secularizing trend sweeping across the nation.
But how do the numbers stack up? Is America, home to the largest Christian population in the world, actually becoming a “post-Christian” nation?
Where Are We as a Nation?
Whether one believes this decline of “Christian America” calls for a time of lament, or presents great opportunity (or both) for the church, one cannot help but accept the changing landscape. In just two years, the percentage of Americans who qualify as “post-Christian” rose by 7 percentage points, from 37% in 2013 to 44% in 2015. Across the United States, cities in every state are becoming more post-Christian—some at a faster rate than others
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The Lawyer Story:
A lawyer, who had a wife and 12 children, needed to move because his rental agreement was terminated by the owner who wanted to reoccupy the home. But he was having a lot of difficulty finding a new home.
When he said he had 12 children, no one would rent a home to him because they felt that the children would destroy the place. He couldn’t say he had no children, because he couldn’t lie. We all know lawyers cannot and do not lie.
So, he sent his wife for a walk to the cemetery with 11 of their kids. He took the remaining one with him to see rental homes with the real estate agent.
He loved one of the homes and the price was right — the agent asked: “How many children do you have? He answered: “Twelve” The agent asked, “where are the others?” The lawyer, in his best courtroom sad look answered “They’re in the cemetery with their mother.
Moral of the story: It’s not necessary to lie, one only has to choose the right words.
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. John Piper
Aristotle was right: “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” For the rest of us, criticism is a fact of life. The question is not whether you will be criticized, but for what.
Our lives are not about us. Danny Wuerffel
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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.
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©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618