We learn to speak like those around us. From infancy to death, every stage of life gives us different influences for our written and spoken words.
In central Phoenix, on the eighth floor of high-rise, is a small marketing and creative services company with eight employees. These eight have been around each other for at minimum, one year and a half, and in that time they have gotten into each others brains*. This company is the one I work for. We have developed our own lingo that outsiders sometimes just don't understand (though we do try our hardest to get into your brains too).
One day a print vendor came to the office to show us a mock-up of a job. My co-worker, reviewing the piece, exclaimed, "I'm furious!" This vendor shrunk back in shock and said that the mock-up could be redone, and she that she didn't want us to be mad. However, she didn't know that the meaning of this phrase has been adapted in our office. It could mean:
- "This is great! Why didn't it happen sooner?!?"
- "Please hide this away and never let it be seen again."
- "Please share whatever you have because I can't live without it."
- And more...
In reference to the mock-up, I believe the intended meaning was option 1.
In the church, as a whole, there are many overused words and phrases. We think we know the meaning of them. We might know the meaning of them. On the other hand, we could distort them to mean what we want leaving others wildly confused.
I want to focus on the word Feel.
Have you ever forbid a word (curse words don't count in this survey)? Mrs. Kelleher, my English teacher for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades forbade the use of got or get in any of our work. These words weren't innately bad but they were overused and she was tired of seeing it. Instead of "I got a gift" or "I get the problem," she encouraged received or understand. I still feel like I cannot use these words. But I digress.
Merriam-Webster gives at least thirteen meanings to the word Feel, and only four of them are about something physical or touchable that could be tested by another person with the same result. Herein lies my problem folks.
In churches, we say that we feel God's presence in the room. We pray and say "I feel like God has a word for you." The pastors may say, "I feel like this is a good decision." "I feel led to dance." "I feel torn in my struggles. " It goes on and on. It became normal language at some point. Feel is not a bad word, but I beg the questions...Is it overused? Have we changed the meaning of it to suit our need for it? How many people is it leaving confused because they don't feel the same way?
My questioning began when I noticed myself using it a lot. "I feel led to Northern Ireland." "I feel like there are chains on me." "I feel like a child." "I feel your presence." Each of these came from my own journal in just a matter of days. I actually cringed the other day when I wrote the word. I needed to scratch it out and replace it. With what do I replace it?
It's not a bad word in certain uses, but when nine meanings of a word are intangible, it leaves room for doubt or questions. When I hear the overuse of feel, it sometimes brings doubt to the resulting action of that feeling. Maybe that is why I'm bothered by it lately, because to say "I feel" releases a sense of doubt in within myself.
I've done a quick search of how Feel is used through out the Bible. So quick that if I put references up in a blog the bias would be strong, and I want to fully explore this thought. I'm not ready to throw the word out. I'm also not in a position to stop anyone else from using the word. It is not inherently bad. We can feel things. I am just raising questions that may be worth asking.
Office definitions of said terms:
*We understand each other, though the words come out jumbled, or even if they are unspoken.
**I see. Ah could be Ah-ha for extra umpf! Don't forget to point your index finger in the air when using this term.
***Cease all action immediately
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