I generally try to stay away from commenting on pop culture. However, I’ve come across a story that was too good to pass up. With that said, there are several learning lessons in the situation. In fact, the whole situation is an interesting study in humanity and the celebrity. (There may be another post on that.) But, I digress. The careful dialogue caught my attention. (And not careful in a good way.) It parked the word entanglement into the category of buzz word. The whole conversation was worded as if things just happened. Like conscious decisions weren’t made to get to where they are now. The word was used to be a kinder gentler way to say, “I involved myself in a relationship that I should not have entertained.” I imagined King David giving an interview after being caught out there with Bathsheba saying, “I found myself in an entanglement.” That’s also a post for another day.
I won’t comment on the situation but I would like to address the careful use of the wording. Yes, I sat through the video. It’s 12 minutes I cannot get back but God pointed out a few things. As I mentioned before, the wording of the conversation was very careful. You see, the enemy has done a phenomenal job with the English language. Because there are several words to describe one something, we use pretty family friendly words to distract people from misdeeds or injustices. It seems as if buzzwords are created to cover one’s ineptitude or to make one look more “in the know” than other people. Perhaps because they prefer not to acquire the knowledge required to weigh in on a subject. Perhaps they know just enough to fool people and create a new avenue they are more comfortable with.
The problem with words being used in this way though, is that buzz words are also showing up among believers to try to make the message of the faith more attractive to non-believers. It’s an attempt to make God more sexy. God does not need nor want our window dressing. He does fine all by Himself. The word entangle means to become twisted with or caught in. To get involved in or to involve someone in difficulties or complicated circumstances from which it is difficult to escape. Meditate on that.
You see, the enemy has been successful in taking our attention off the meaning of words so we don’t dig deeper into the context. We take the common usage meaning and that’s satisfactory. Since the enemy has been successful in making us think we are less than what we are, we have unwittingly begun to unconsciously believe we are not capable of higher thought. But, the intended intellectual capacity of man is a different study. Take my word for it, we are capable of so much more.
As believers, we are trained and in training to meditate on what we hear, see and experience. While we read the bible, we need to break out a dictionary or do an internet search on the subject matter we study. When you look up the actual meaning of the words being used in the bible, scripture takes on new meaning. I could go on and dig deeper about the word entanglement but it’s not about the word, her or what she did. It’s about the people of God digging deeper into the things that we consume in this world we are visiting. Seeing through the smoke and mirrors of flowery words.
It’s time that we take the time to read in between the lines. Stop regurgitating what seems hip to fit with the gospel. Stop being seduced into complacency because the things that God is against are becoming normalized by culture and validated by government. The church of Corinth is a good example of the status quo being turned on its head by the gospel. Romans 12:2 says And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ~ Selah
I absolutely love that you see it as it is a kinder gentler way of saying the obvious. They are trying to make it acceptable. Using buzzwords, like you said, to try and set trends and to “fit in”. I’m too chunky to fit in anywhere! Thank you for the reminder of Romans 12-2 I have never and will never conform. Great read!!