A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. V is for Victory – One of my favorite gospel songs goes like this: “Victory is mine; Victory is mine; Victory today is mine; I told ol’ Satan, get thee behind; Victory today is mine.” That’s right, spiritual victory is assured, mission accomplished. As Jesus said on the cross, …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. U is for Ur of the Chaldeans – The ancient city in southern Babylonia, and patriarch Abraham’s birthplace and homeland growing up. Ur was a bustling urban center of advanced culture. Numerous excavations, mostly between mid-19th century to mid-20th century, have uncovered quite a sophisticated city. There was an …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. T is for Thief – Anyone who takes something in a sneaky, furtive way. Surprisingly, Jesus called Himself a thief once, and Scripture claims that He was to return in glory like some super-villain, a thief in the night, stealing His children away (Rev. 16:15; 1 Thess. 5:2). A …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. S is for Shepherd – A somewhat surprising symbol for leadership throughout scripture. A shepherd was pretty much at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, way below minimum wage. Shepherds were chronically underemployed, relegated to grunt work, underappreciated and overlooked by polite society. He had to sleep outdoors, make …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. R is for Rending the Curtain – If you were a priest in the Temple during Jesus’ time, imagine how awestruck you would have been every time you gazed upon the holy curtain, the “veil” at the entrance to the Holy of Holies. This particular curtain was not your …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. Q is for Quail – “They asked, and He brought them quail.” (Psalm 105:40) A choice game bird that has blessed Sinai residents for over 3,500 years; an unexpected sign of God’s presence and care, overlooking the grumbles for the time being; an example of God’s lowliness, lowering Himself to …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. P is for Play – “The life of God is simultaneously work and rest, because all God does, working and resting, He does with the majestic ease of play.” (St. Augustine, Confessions) Play is that which brings and sustains innocent delight. Play celebrates and affirms some aspect of life. …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. O is for Oaks of Mamre – Oh, if only trees could talk, what tales they could tell. Take the famous oak grove found in Mamre, an area in Hebron straight east of the Dead Sea. These oaks would tell us that that famous landmark was where Abraham pitched …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. N is for Nathan the Prophet – If you’re trying to get ahead in the world, or climb some golden ladder to success, don’t choose “prophet” at the next Career Development workshop. A prophet has the job of speaking the word of the Lord, no matter the consequences, come …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. M is for Mercy – If grace is love smiling, and compassion love desiring, then mercy is love doing. Mercy is the fulfillment of needs through love-in-action. Mercy is the chief attribute of God, and so if we are made in His image, it is meant to be our …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. L is for Lydia – A hero of the Faith; her story in found in Acts 16. She was the first European convert to Christianity, and Paul’s first convert in Philippi in Greek Asia Minor. Lydia was unusual in many ways: an apparently wealthy single woman (or perhaps a …

A Whimsical Dictionary of Surprising Influences. K is for Key – It’s small enough to hide in the palm of your hand, yet will render a strong man helpless behind a locked door. A key is a symbol of authority, and is synonymous with “most significant” and “decisive influence.” Yet it is the item most easily …