One Word

Hubby and I have been rewatching the Alias series on Netflix. The evil Arvin Sloane has finally assembled the fifteenth century Rembaldi device, and it gave him a one word message: Peace. Sloane spent 30 years searching, buying, killing, treasoning his life for this one thing, and all he got was a word. He seems to have taken the word to heart and is working hard to provide peace in the world. Buddha said, "Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace."

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, had enough money to send his Christmas Greetings to everyone by telegraph if he only sent one word. His one word? "Others." Sophocles found his one word: "One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love."

Some people find their meaning and one word in work. "The one word that makes a good manager- decisiveness." Lee Iacocca. Or try Pearl S. Buck's word: "The secret of joy in work is contained in one word- excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it." I chuckled at this one word, "That is now my mission: to provide a European vision of growth, employment, prosperity- in one word, our future." Francois Hollande. Perhaps it lost its effectiveness and amount in translation.

So I have been wondering what is the one word I would say if I only had one word to give the world? Hubby suggested "Love", but too many definitions are entwined in that one word. I love chocolate, Hubby, a warm bed, my enemy, and dandelions. Sort of ruins it, huh?

Of course, many Christians would suggest that the one word should be "God". But I'm not sure that is a good choice either. God created the Heavens and the Earth. Then He allowed the Earth to be contaminated with hatred, disease, vengeance, war, famine. . . Looking at some of the Old Testament accounts of God, I would ratheer He not be my one word.

God is also many wonderful words: compassion, mercy, forgiveness, blessing, present. But how do I say in one word what God really is to me and to the world?

My one word is "Jesus". If there is only one word I can say to give you true life, then my word has to be Jesus. Not the Jesus of movies and myth who is separate from the world. Not the Jesus that looks at me and condemns me in my sin. Not the Jesus that crusaded the world and conquered in his name. No. None of those are the Jesus of the Bible. Those are the Jesus that Satan has lead many to believe in.

I'm talking about the Jesus of the Bible. The Jesus who left God and Heaven to enter Hell, for me. The Jesus who did all that he could here in this Hell to ease the pain and suffering of those he met. The Jesus who took on this Hell and gave his life for it so that I could get out alive. The Jesus who showed me compassion, mercy, forgiveness, blessing. The Jesus who is present in me and around me.

I want my life to be a one word statement: "Jesus".