We often use words when we are communicating in a trivial fashion, especially small words.  We don’t think about what a specific word means because we are concerned with getting a general thought across.  However, when it comes to the scriptures, the smallest of words can have tremendous importance.  Taking a deeper look can often open doors of understanding or awakens an aspect of our spiritual lives that has been in hibernation.

Consider the word “Let.”  It is a small 3 letter word that is commonly place in our language.  We probably don’t give the word much consideration.  Let’s take a closer look at the word.  The word “Let” means to permit or allow.  Examine a simple statement such as, “Jill, let Jack play with the ball.”  Of course, we could easily replace the word “Let” with “Allow” or “Permit” to relay the thought that we want Jack to be able to play with the ball.  However, there is more to it than that.  For Jack to be able to play with the ball, Jill must take some action.  She must allow/permit him to play with it.  So, many times when we see the word “Let” appear in the Bible, and it is a message saying we must allow or not allow things into our lives.  It shows there is free will and that we must make a conscious decision in our minds to allow or disallow thoughts or activities to take place.  Furthermore, it shows that there are actions that we must take.  To bring it together, God wants good things for us but often requires action on our part.  Consider the following passages.

Colossians 3:15-16 NASB  (15)  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.  (16)  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

The peace and word of Christ isn’t going to put itself into our hearts.  This passage is telling us that we need to allow this to happen.  We have to free our minds and get into a mental position that we can receive the peace and word of Christ.  Notice how it tells us to use singing to allow the word of Christ to richly dwell within us.

Colossians 4:6 NASB  Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

This is a tough one for me.  Allow or permit our words to be with grace, so that we can know how to respond to people?  If I had a dollar for every time I walked away thinking about the things I could have said or said differently I would be a pretty rich man.  This is something that we have to work at.  We must permit time in our lives to think about how we should respond in different situations.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 NASB  (6)  so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

It takes effort to stay sharp, to be sober and alert.  It’s not something that just happens on its own.  So we must be prayerful and very aware of what is going on in our lives to make sure we are not spiritually asleep.  Notice the contrast in the two times “Let” is used in this passage.  On the one hand, we should not permit ourselves to sleep but we should allow ourselves to be alert.

Hebrews 13:1 NASB  Let love of the brethren continue.

This short 6 word sentence is straight and to the point.  However, there is a little more to it that one might suspect.  By now we should clearly be able to see that “Let” means some amount of effort is required.  Love doesn’t just happen spontaneously and certainly doesn’t continue in a perpetual manner without our involvement.  Having continual love requires much effort from all of us.

The word “Let” occurs 1,356 times in the New American Standard Bible and 1,511 times in the Kings James Version so we don’t have time to analyze every occurrence. Here are some other passages that are interesting to consider. 

James 1:4 NASB  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Matthew 5:14-16 NASB  "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  (15)  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  (16)  "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:37 NASB  "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.

Matthew 11:15 NASB  "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
(The phrase “Let him hear” is found 16 times in the New Testament)

Luke 9:44 NASB  "Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men."

Romans 6:12-13 NASB  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,  (13)  and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Romans 13:13-14 NASB  Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.  (14)  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

1 Corinthians 3:18 NASB  (18)  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

Mark 10:9 NASB  "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

Whether it is enduring, shining, hearing, behaving, or anything else we find attached to “Let” in the scriptures.  We can be sure that if we think about it enough, we will find there are actions we need to take to either allow or deny things in our lives.  Many more things could be said on this subject but this will suffice.  We encourage you to consider these and other passages containing “Let” as well as other small words that contain great messages.