A Definite Maybe

Samuel Goldwyn, the movie producer who founded Goldwyn Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer was known for his misuse of the English language. Here are some of my favorite Goldwynisms:

• "An oral contract isn't worth the paper it's written on."
• "Any man who goes to a psychiatrist ought to have his head examined."
• "In two words, impossible."
• When Goldwyn's secretary asked him if she should destroy files that were more than ten years old, he answered, "Yes, but keep copies."
• "Tell them (the actors) to stand closer apart."
• "For your information, just answer me one question!'
• "Go see that turkey for yourself, and see for yourself why you shouldn't see it."
• "Can she sing? She's practically a Florence Nightingale."
• "Give me a couple of years and I'll make that actress an overnight success."
• "True, I've been a long time making up my mind, but now I'm giving you a definite answer. I won't say yes and I won't say no — but I'm giving you a definite maybe."

It sounds like Goldwyn was giving someone the runaround! Some folks accused the apostle Paul of doing the same thing. He said he was planning to come to Corinth, but those plans changed, so some of the Corinthians accused Paul of being fickle, saying one thing and meaning another.

Paul assured the Corinthians that his intent was never to deceive, that his message was founded in Jesus Christ, in whom there is no deceit.

"Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us — by me, Silvanus, and Timothy — was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:17-20)

Praise be to God who keeps every one of His promises, and not with a "definite maybe," but with "Yes, yes, yes!"