Read
Guilt by Word Association
Playing word association can be fun. It can also be revealing, eye-opening, embarrassing and bring to light what people truly feel about a subject or person. That can be good or bad. Let’s say you ask a friend to tell them the first thing that comes to their mind when they think of _____, and that blank is a person’s name. If they are being honest, it will be a quality that they associate most with that person.
I’ve been in groups where this is done and I get nervous. I get nervous to hear what someone might say about me, but also because it’s hard for me to be limited to providing just one word without some explanation. Have you ever been described by one or two words and not liked how you were described? Maybe you felt like it wasn’t an accurate depiction or the person doesn’t know you well enough. Regardless if you’ve known them a couple of days or several years, their answer will be true for how they view you.
So, what would someone say about you? A co-worker of two days or friend of 10 years, what would they say?
I bring this up because I think it is a humbling exercise. It is something that causes real self-examination. I know that when I was asked this two weeks ago, I had to stop and think about it. I answered honestly as far as I thought, but then I started wondering if I had the right perspective. The importance in doing this is to see yourself the way others do and realize that they see you this way for a reason. It’s the truth! It’s based on actions, words, reactions, conflict, defeat and success. Sure, they can’t see your heart, but “the tree is known by its fruit” (Matt 12:33). Jesus would go on to say, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.”
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Another translation says that everything you do flows from your heart. That Proverb might not be one to put a smile on everyone’s face and it doesn’t make me feel great all the time, but I know it’s true. So do you.
What would people say about Jesus? What words would they associate with him? I think this is equally important so that I can know what I should want others to say about me. Here are a few examples from Scripture: savior, friend, mediator, compassion, just, servant, pure, brother, honest, etc. The list could go on.
So, word association, what’s the first word God would say when He thinks about (your name)?
