13-year-old Evan O’Dorney of Danville, CA took home the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee championship by spelling the medical term serrefine (small forceps). Spelling bees have been around since before we were children, but seem to be getting new life these days, with the finals of the spelling bee making prime time on ABC. I applaud this, because correct spelling is having a hard time competing with email and text messaging short cuts. [RU4it?]

Jesus commented about spelling: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). The jot referred jot referred to is the Hebrew letter yod, the smallest letters in the alphabet. The tittle referred to a small marking that distinguished some Hebrew letter from others. Both served significant purposes for understanding, despite being very small.

Jesus stressed the importance of the law and obedience to it, and that His life and ministry would fulfill the law. His death brought reconciliation. “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:14-16).

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:13-15). He fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law, just as He promised. His life and death spells hope for us—and that is a spelling bee we all need to win!