Hole & Whole

So I’ve had those words rumbling around in my head for the last few days and it’s really been bothering me. I was reading a past journal entry in which I had used the word “hole” and being the bad speller I am, had to concentrate to determine if I should have spelled it “whole”. Ever since then, the two words have been tumbling around in my head much like a pair of heavy jeans do in the dryer. My mental dilemma and thus conversation with myself has been centered around why the English language made homophones of two words that have opposite meanings. One spelling means an absence of something and the other means to be full. There is a certain irony in it.

I’ve pondered this irony for several days now and while I still have no idea why the English language made homophones of the words, I have come to a conclusion. The words make sense from a Christian / spiritual sense. When I look at the “holes” in my life, I discover that those are places God has filled to make me “whole”. I know, it is cliché and a complete play on words, but something about it made sense to me. Perhaps it is the result of too much time with the words rumbling in my head or perhaps it is a true yet simple commentary on life. Like much of the Bible the irony baffles me.

“For when I am weak, then I am strong.” II Cor. 12:10
“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first”. – Matt. 19:30
“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” – Matt. 20:26

None of these sayings make sense from a human perspective. There is nothing about using holes in our life to make us “whole” that makes sense either though. I think that is the miracle of it. We don’t need to be perfect for God to use us. He takes our holes, our shortcomings, our weakness, my poor spelling, and uses them to make us whole in ways that we never imagined. Somewhere in the process He also makes us “holy” (but that’s another blog.)