"Alphabet Soup"

 

“Alphabet Soup”

 

Some years ago Campbell’s made Chicken Alphabet Soup using pasta in the form of letters but it’s no longer available. And Post marketed Alpha-Bits, an oat based sugar coated cereal shaped like the letters of the alphabet (it was discontinued in 2021). Maybe consumers didn’t want to try to form words while they were eating.

“Alphabet soup” has become a metaphor for abbreviations and acronyms. It became commonly used in the 1930’s for the many government programs set up during the New Deal period. It remains a phenomenon in many areas today such as….

*Retailing (SKU—Stock Keeping Unit; UPC—Universal Product Code; ISBN—International Standard Book Number).

*Medicine (CHF—Congestive Heart Failure; COPD—Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; MRI—Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

*Hospice (ADL—Activities of Daily Living; PCG—Primary Care Giver; CM—Case Manager).

*Government (IRS, CIA, NSA, FBI—no translation needed).

*Military (DOD—Department of Defense; MOS—Military Occupational Specialty; PX—Post Exchange; NCO—Non-Commissioned Officer).

As Christians we often practice “alphabet soup” when it comes to Bible translations (NIV—New International Version; ESV—English Standard Version) and denominations (AME—African Methodist Episcopal; SBC—Southern Baptist Convention). But sometimes we pastors let the flesh get the better of us and came up with CEO’s (Christmas and Easter Only) and EGR’s (Extra Grace Required) to describe some in our churches. (I just asked God for forgiveness.) On a positive note, two acronyms (words formed by the first letters of a phrase—radar and sonar are two familiar examples) which tell us how we can have a personal relationship with God are GRACE (God’s Righteousness At Christ’s Expense) and FAITH (Forsaking All I Trust Him). They meet in Ephesians 2:8: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God….” (emphasis added). Acronyms aside, the message is clear: Jesus alone saves by freely providing forgiveness and eternal life with Him. Receive His offer without delay.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan