More Than Words

More Than Words

It was Amy’s third trip to the principal’s office this month, all for the same offense. Now detention. Frankly, she didn’t understand the fuss. Nobody in her old school seemed to care if she used bad language. But at this new Christian school, even mild profanities were a big deal. Crumpling the detention slip, Amy thought, Why can’t my teachers see that they’re just words?

“I’ve heard people argue that words are just noises we make,” explains Alex McFarland, who speaks and writes for teens to stand up for their faith. “They’re sounds. They don’t really mean anything. But such a position is contradictory. To deny the power of language, one must debate with . . . words!”

Clearly, words do have a specific meaning and hold great power. It’s sad to think how frequently we hear off-color expressions in school, online, in entertainment, and on the job. All of it adds up, making it easy to assume that profanity is just a normal part of everyday conversation. It’s not, of course. But even if it were, Christians are called to a higher standard. God’s Word warns us to control our tongues (see James 1:26) and to keep “unwholesome talk” from spilling past our lips (see Ephesians 4:29, NIV). More to the point, Colossians 3:8 urges followers of Christ to overcome bad habits, including “dirty language.”

The English language is vibrant and rich, full of diversity and subtlety. With such a colorful palette at our disposal, it seems silly to settle for words that could blacken our hearts, offend others—including God—and cause people to lose respect for us. God wants us to experience freedom in all areas of life. So we shouldn’t forget that when we open our mouths, we’re not just expressing ourselves, but we’re also representing Jesus.

Daddy-Daughter Time

What boundaries has your family established in the area of language? Do people you respect tend to think more or less of someone who uses profanity? In 1 Corinthians 15:33, the apostle Paul warns that “bad company corrupts good character.” Have you ever found yourself tempted to use inappropriate language after hearing others do it, either in person or in entertainment? If so, what does that say about the need to make sure the voices speaking into your life are saying the right things? Do you feel God leading you to make any changes?

What’s The Word?

You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.   Colossians 3:7-8