FOUL!!

If I wasn’t too old to be punished by my mama, I’d be walking around with a bar of soap in my mouth 24/7. Let’s just say I have a serious case of potty mouth! I will say I have tried to tame it down these last few years but it is hard. Sometimes the only thing I can say that gets my point across is a dirty one! Come on, you know what I mean…you’ve done it too.

I grew up with a very foul-mouthed Grandfather who used GD like it was his job. I NEVER use that word…must be my good Baptist upbringing! But I did learn quite a bit from him and developed my own bad habit. When I was younger, I knew when to use the bad words and when not to. At home my parents found it somewhat amusing when I threw it in conversation as a joke. I NEVER cussed in public being the daughter of a preacher and all. But then when I was out in the world on my own, it became a habit that I no longer hid and it got out of control.

In church yesterday we sang an old favorite of mine…Thy Word. The lyrics of this song are a perfect reminder of why it is necessary to be careful with our choices of words and language.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

If the Bible is our guide, here is what it says about our language:

Ephesians 5:4 – ‘Dirty stories, foul talk and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead remind each other of God’s goodness and be thankful’

Exodus 20:7 – ‘You shall not use the name of Jehovah your God irreverently, nor use it to swear to a falsehood. You will not escape punishment if you do.’

Colossians 3:8 – ‘But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.’

Proverbs 13:3 – ‘He who guards his lips guards his soul, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.’

Colossians 4:6 – ‘Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’

1 Timothy 4:12 – ‘Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Not only is what we believe reflected in what we say, but our manner of speech will influence others. Choose your words carefully. I’m getting better at it and this is a great reminder!