A friend of mine was playing golf recently at a prestigious country club. At one point during his round, he observed small children playing in the backyard of a house adjacent to the fairway. He was stunned when he heard the children’s mother yell to them from the deck, “You F *%# kids, get your fat _*%#__ in this house right now!”
After describing the incident to me, my friend shook his head and decried the coarse language that is becoming increasingly common in today’s culture. “That wasn’t a sailor in a violent storm,” he lamented. “That was a mother speaking to her preschool children! That’s so sad!”
I agreed. The blatant use of profanity is becoming standard practice. But the constant use and acceptance of the F-word in public discourse is especially offensive. The 2013 Academy Award-nominated movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” has one of the highest uses of the F-word, counted as many as 569 times. If you choose to attend an R-rated movie that warns “Adult Language,” you have no right to complain about the constant cursing. You volunteered for it. However, my friend should not have to hear it on the golf course. My wife should not be subjected to it in the grocery store. Sports fans should not have to cover their children’s ears to block out the constant vulgarities in the music blaring over the public address system.
In a thought-provoking article published in The Christian Post earlier this month, Pastor Mark Creech wrote, “Someone says, ‘Well, it’s no big deal. The F-bomb is just a word.’ No, it isn’t. Outside of using the Lord’s name in vain, it’s one of the foulest words in human discourse. It takes something sacred, the most intimate act of human bonding (sex between a married couple, man and wife), lowers it to a lewd act of fornication, and then inappropriately applies it to expressions of frustration, anger, confusion, disillusionment, malice, etc. Typically, whenever employed, it’s used senselessly. It’s just a filthy, nasty, dirty word, which makes for a coarse existence.”
Foul Language is a violation of privacy
In an article for the Field Newspaper Syndicate years ago, Bob Greene lamented what he referred to as “Hear Pollution,” saying, “…foul language used casually in public comes close to the idea of a violation of privacy. I know that there are some around who feel assaulted by it…certain language is an assault on the senses. Those who disagree are probably saying, ‘after all, it’s only words.’ But words are vehicles; they convey messages. And to some people, the use of profanity is a message of ugliness and aggressiveness and a disrespect for civil behavior. This practice is usually defended under the name of ‘freedom.’ But whose freedom is it? If the language of ugliness becomes so much a part of our society that it is impossible to escape no matter where one turns, then who is really free and who isn’t?”
Solomon wrote, “…the mouth of the fool gushes folly” (Proverbs 15:2). I’m not sure what can be done about the common practice of spewing out profanity in public. Our culture is, in the words of Judge Robert Bork, “Slouching Toward Gomorrah” in so many ways. We probably should, as kindly as possible, verbalize objections more often. But this one thing I do know, that kind of loathsome language should not be a part of the vocabulary of those who follow Jesus Christ.
Foul language reveals a corrupt heart
Jesus said, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”(Luke 6:45).
Foul language exposes a lack of self-discipline
“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:6-8).
Foul language offends God’s holiness and will be judged
”But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken” (Matthew 12:36).
Foul language accomplishes nothing
Some sins bring temporary pleasure or satisfaction. But swearing has no benefit at all. A golfer who curses a poorly hit ball never redirects it by his profanity. A mother who curses her children does not gain increased respect. That’s one of the reasons why Jesus said, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).
Foul language undermines our Christian testimony
“With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be” (James 3:9-10).
Foul language can be forgiven…if we repent
Simon Peter lied and swore with an oath that he didn’t know Jesus. When he realized Jesus overheard his profane speech, Peter was crushed and wept bitterly over his sin. Jesus forgave him and reinstated him into a leadership role in the Kingdom of God. Simon forever regretted his foul language, but Jesus never brought it up because the Heavenly Father had buried it in the deepest sea and didn’t remember it anymore.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Foul language habits can be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit
If you were raised in a home or worked in an environment where obscenity was commonplace, perhaps it has become second nature. Don’t excuse it or dismiss it as inconsequential. Words matter. Be determined to change. Your speech can become pure. You can do everything through Christ who gives you strength.” (See Philippians 4:13.)
Pray with the Psalmist, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
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