I love being challenged to find verses on specific subjects. Especially when the person challenging me doesn't believe the Word.
Mom came home yesterday and told me about a coworker who was telling a profanity laced story. When another coworker and friend asked her to stop, the woman set forth the challenge. "Where in the Bible does it say anything about not cussing except for taking the Lord's name in vain? It's just a word!" She didn't ask out of genuine curiosity, but with sarcasm and condescension, believing that she had stumped her coworkers. First off, if the language is offensive, stop! It's also very unprofessional to use such language in a work setting. Well, I promised mom that I would find a verse to use in defense of the christian view that profanity is unacceptable.
These are the verses I email to Mom. I didn't include all the verses I found because not all were relevant to her situation. (Italics are mine and for emphasis.)
1 Peter 2:1 "So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander."
Proverbs 15:4 "A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit."
Matthew 12:36-37 "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
1 Thessalonians 5:22 "Abstain from every form of evil."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Exodus 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain."
The passage that I did not include but that is equally convicting and challenging. (Again, italics mine for emphasis.)
James 3:6-8 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."
I heard a sermon once, can't remember where, but the pastor was preaching from this passage in James. He focused mostly on gossip and profanity. He talked about how hard it is to control the words that come out of out mouth. I don't consider myself given to much profanity, but the gossip note hit hard. The pastor reminded us that taming the tongue would be one of the hardest things we would try to accomplish along the path to righteousness.
Words are powerful. Be careful how you use them. One thing I always tell my students, "Use that filter between your brain and your mouth!" Think before you speak. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes you aren't even aware that what you say hurts other, sometimes it's your tone that is offensive. I'm still working and growing in this, but I think I'm doing better, with the help of the Spirit reminding me of what is right.
