A Dozen Un's
There are a lot of things that get messed up pretty bad when you put an “un” in front of it.
For instance, “grateful” is pretty lousy when it becomes “ungrateful” and “faithful” is bitter when it becomes “unfaithful.”
I searched the Bible the other day, digging for “un” words, and came away with quite a load of them. I was surprised, however, to discover than not ALL of the “un’s” are negative. In fact a few of them are excellent qualities to possess.
On the negative side, the Bible speaks clearly against the following “un’s”:
Unbelief:
Faith is a central foundation for life. That’s why Jesus rebuked his disciples for their unbelief when they acted or spoke out of fear and mistrust.
Unloving:
We were made to love. When somebody behaves in an unloving way, it always hurts. We are commanded to love our neighbors.
Unclean:
A foul spirit and inner ugliness always go together. Impure motives lead to selfish manipulation. Negative speech reveals a bitter heart. The Bible says, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” What's been coming out of your mouth lately?
Unstable:
Wavering between two opinions brings instability. When we live in fear, trying to please everybody, we won’t stand strong. The secret to standing firm is to get your feet planted down on the solid ground of truth.
Unrighteous:
When we do things that aren’t right, we know it deep inside. Our conscience tells us so. We are called to live uprightly – to do the right thing – to make the right choices -- regardless of the price. If you live right, you won’t have to cover with lame excuses.
Unconcerned:
We are called to care about the important issues of life, and for those around us who are hurting. Lack of concern demonstrates love shortage.
On the other hand, there are a half dozen positive “un’s” the Bible encourages:
Undivided:
A divided heart wobbles. No one can serve two masters.
Understanding:
This requires listening without jumping to conclusions.
Unworthy:
In a sense of humility, receive the blessings of life as a gift, rather than “what I deserve.”
Undying:
The Scripture demonstrates God’s undying love for us. It will never end, and nothing can separate us from it.
Unfading:
This is the beauty and glory of our lives as we live by faith. Even as we grow older and we begin to fade away, our inner beauty will always be unfading.
Unfailing:
God’s never fails. He hasn’t failed you yet, and He won’t start failing you now.
For instance, “grateful” is pretty lousy when it becomes “ungrateful” and “faithful” is bitter when it becomes “unfaithful.”
I searched the Bible the other day, digging for “un” words, and came away with quite a load of them. I was surprised, however, to discover than not ALL of the “un’s” are negative. In fact a few of them are excellent qualities to possess.
On the negative side, the Bible speaks clearly against the following “un’s”:
Unbelief:
Faith is a central foundation for life. That’s why Jesus rebuked his disciples for their unbelief when they acted or spoke out of fear and mistrust.
Unloving:
We were made to love. When somebody behaves in an unloving way, it always hurts. We are commanded to love our neighbors.
Unclean:
A foul spirit and inner ugliness always go together. Impure motives lead to selfish manipulation. Negative speech reveals a bitter heart. The Bible says, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” What's been coming out of your mouth lately?
Unstable:
Wavering between two opinions brings instability. When we live in fear, trying to please everybody, we won’t stand strong. The secret to standing firm is to get your feet planted down on the solid ground of truth.
Unrighteous:
When we do things that aren’t right, we know it deep inside. Our conscience tells us so. We are called to live uprightly – to do the right thing – to make the right choices -- regardless of the price. If you live right, you won’t have to cover with lame excuses.
Unconcerned:
We are called to care about the important issues of life, and for those around us who are hurting. Lack of concern demonstrates love shortage.
On the other hand, there are a half dozen positive “un’s” the Bible encourages:
Undivided:
A divided heart wobbles. No one can serve two masters.
Understanding:
This requires listening without jumping to conclusions.
Unworthy:
In a sense of humility, receive the blessings of life as a gift, rather than “what I deserve.”
Undying:
The Scripture demonstrates God’s undying love for us. It will never end, and nothing can separate us from it.
Unfading:
This is the beauty and glory of our lives as we live by faith. Even as we grow older and we begin to fade away, our inner beauty will always be unfading.
Unfailing:
God’s never fails. He hasn’t failed you yet, and He won’t start failing you now.
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