Quit Cursing, Please!

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Eph 5:1-2

Children learn by what they see and hear. One teaching method I have noticed, too often, is adults correcting children for swearing by mixing their very loud admonitions with a bunch of swear words. Sure doesn't sound too loving to me and I'm thinking that particular teaching method probably does not work all that well.

Some of the nicest people I know throw that f... word along with other off-colored slang randomly into their speech. I don't get it! Doesn't sound very Christ-like to me. Can you imagine Jesus using words like that? I can't.

During confirmation classes, I have tried to explain what curse or swear words are. There are many words that are so commonly used by the culture around them that some of the young people have had no clue that some of the words that they use daily are totally inappropriate to be using. Many of these words actually take God's name in vain. Using vulgarity shows disrespect not only toward others; but, to the person using them as well.

We are sinful human beings and prone to slipping from time to time. But, life here in this would be so much more loving and peaceful if we could all be more Christian examples to children or to anyone around us. Maybe we could all work a little harder to erase a few of these curse words from our vocabularies and ultimately our cultures. Let us be imitators of Christ so that as our children learn from what we say and do; they too will learn to live more Christ-like.

May God help us to live in love, without using language to belittle or hurt others; rather, using language that will express our walk of faith in Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

James 5:7-12 Yes or No; But, No Swearing

James 5:7-12 NIV
"Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned."

After a very long yesterday, this hits today's reading like a nail on the head of a hammer. People are going to disagree with me. I get that. What I don't get is why they would think that filling their disagreement with words that I cannot repeat is going to be helpful to their cause. You're not going to bully me into changing my mind. If you disagree with me, you don't have to attack me with language that is so filthy that it should not be found within your mouth. A simply yes or no will do. Anything more and you will bring suspicion and ultimately condemnation upon yourself.

Be patient then and do not swear even if it is someone else's swearing that is trying your patients.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Col 3 Be Kind

Colossians 3 NIV

Compassion, kindness, gentleness,
patience....

A friend recently tried to do a favor for someone; even though he had no clue as to who it was that he was trying to help. He was just trying to do the right thing. He was trying to help someone in need. For trying to do the right thing he was majorly disrespected. We live in a world where people can really be ugly to others even when they are being served with the best of intentions by others. Compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience are often greeted with anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. I am confident that this will not stop this friend from doing the right thing in the future nor should it ever stop us from living life according to the love and peace that we have received in Christ.

St. Paul reminds us that whatever we do we should do at it with all our hearts, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. He reminds us to say and do all that we can to promote peace among us; to respect and to love one another. Do not let the haters in this world stop you from living life in Christ, pray for them. And, whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

God's Peace - Pr. J