In the last year, I have been surprised numerous times while listening to a recommended popular pastor or speaker, or reading a trending millennial blogger, to be confronted with in-your-face curse words.
No judgment here, just concern.
It makes me wonder a few things:
Do they really talk that way in their everyday lives?
If they do, I would encourage them to spend time in God’s Word, basking in His holiness, purity and beauty. And surround themselves with godly people who have reverence for God, respect the high calling of handling His Word and take seriously the privilege of influencing others.
God tells us He expects more of us.
“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James 3:1
Are they doing it for shock value?
Here’s something to consider—those words are no longer shocking. My son hears them at his Christian school. When I look up R-rated movies to see what’s in them, they list things like “150 F-words.”
Overexposure has robbed them of their power to impress or shock.
More importantly—the words of God are powerful and shocking enough. They don’t need to be punctuated with crudity.
Is it an attempt to be gritty and real?
What’s gritty and real is your story! That’s what we want to hear. The Truth of God is gritty and real. Talk about that. Gritty and real don’t have to be manufactured through course language. Besides, do you really want to go there? There are things in life that don’t need to be announced or photographed. You know what I’m talking about.
Don’t take my word for it though.
Here’s what God says …
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph. 4:29
Or in The Message,
“Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.”
What about Col. 4:6 where Paul tells us to let our speech always be gracious?
