WINSDAY WISDOM Session 48
The Jeopardy game show category was “Adverbs.” The clue was “Starship Enterprise’s (Star Trek) 5-year mission included a famous split infinitive between “to” and “go.”
What is “to boldly go?” That is the correct answer.
Split infinitives. I already lost most of you except for a few English majors. Please hang on past the brief introduction. I believe there is a valid word of encouragement for all of us. You can substitute thoughts about healthy diet or exercise or anger control or any New Year’s resolution instead of split infinitives.
I have split infinitives all my life. My mother, my English teachers, and my editorial advisors have corrected and instructed me not to split infinitives. It is a lifelong habit. That is just how I talk and how I write. I have never changed. I really have never cared about changing…Until now.
WHY WOULD I CHANGE NOW? AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE IF I CHANGE NOW?
Split infinitives: a grammatical construction in which an adverb (modifier) is placed between the preposition “to” and the verb. It is commonly used in our speech but is frowned upon by traditional educators in our writing.
Example of infinitive: “to go” or “not to go.”
Example of split infinitive: “to NOT go” or “to really go.” (The adverb has been placed in the middle of the infinitive.)
Perhaps, the best-known example of a proper infinitive is Shakespeare’s “To be or not to be.”
Best example of cultural use of the split infinitive is the Star Trek introduction, “To boldly go where no man has gone before.”
To split or not to split. That is the question.
The issue matters to some people. It never really mattered much to me. Most of you would shut this session down if it is really about grammatical construction of sentences.
I hope to just keep you around or just to keep you around for a few moments regarding why I mentioned my split infinitive dilemma.
The split infinitive has great relevance to my Love First and Love Most challenge.
Most of us are aware that the #1 Textbook provides a trusted guideline for our use of love in words and actions. However, we pay little attention to its suggested corrections or encouraging instructions on how to love first and love most.
When it comes to others, we love or not love in the manner we choose. We prefer to split the adverbs and replace the word love with self. Self-first and self-most.
In fact, our cultural acceptance of using love for self-benefit has influenced us all into mediocrity. We discount wholehearted devotion as a minor correction which can go unheeded. No need to change now.
We no longer strive for the more excellent way (#1 Textbook).
When it comes to loving others, I am a split infinitive. Set in my ways. Not planning to change. I might read a blog or listen to a sermon about loving first and most. I might even acknowledge that my words and actions do not meet that standard. But that is understandable. Even acceptable in my world.
This world understands. That is the way everyone talks. That is the way everyone loves. Our culture splits wholehearted devotion into fragmented sentences. First and most are modifiers used in reference to ourselves. We have always lived that way. No reason to change now.
I asked the rhetorical question earlier, WHY WOULD I CHANGE NOW?
BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT! BECAUSE IT IS A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (#1 Textbook).
Listen to the experts:
Mary Poppins said, “When you change the view from where you stood, the things you view will change for good.“
Spiderman declared, “Our choices make us who we are. We always have the choice to do what is right.”
Author Leo Tolstoy wrote, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
Rocky Balboa shouted encouragement to all of us at the end of Rocky IV, “If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!”
Most importantly, the #1 Textbook declares we can change. It is always right to do what is right. That has been true since the beginning of time. It is still the true test of character today.
God says it is right to love first and love most. When it comes to loving God and loving others, there are no split infinitives.
There is an aged adage which states, “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.” Who says? Dogs are smart and are instinctively good learners. It is the dog owner who sometimes lacks the patience to teach.
Our Teacher has not given up on raising our love to a higher level. We are not old dogs. Some of us might be old and stubborn and set in our ways. However, the reason we remain here on earth is to learn how to love others without split infinitives in our hearts.
I can learn to Love First and Love Most. You can learn.
Nobody learns to love better by trying harder. Love flows from our heart’s attachment to God. God is love. We cannot become loving without the source.
God’s love is a life-changing power. God’s love changes our character.
Character is about who we are. Love is the fruit of character.
Love is not a to-do-list. It is a heart change.
Here is the APPLICATION of that truth for me.
If I can change my writing of split infinitives, then I can change my words and actions to love first and most.
Here is hope for you and those lives you touch with words and actions. If I can change, you can change.
- Let’s start caring about whether we live and love in a more excellent way.
- Let’s listen better to our Teacher gently correct and instruct us. Maybe we can take notes from the #1 Textbook.
- Let’s recognize when our words and actions convey less than wholehearted devotion.
- Let’s make a choice to change. We can even race toward the finish line.
- Let’s learn to trace God’s love into our love for others.
“TO BE OR NOT TO BE” A LOVE FIRST AND LOVE MOST PERSON.
THAT IS THE QUESTION.
People can change. I can change.
Even if no one else changes, I can change.
WITH GOD’S HELP…I WILL CHANGE!
I invite you to join me in loving first and loving most. Our mission is to boldly go where we have not gone before!
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone.
LOVE FIRST...LOVE MOST 