WHAT'S THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM WITH CURSING?
1. WHEN CURSE WORDS ARE PEPPERED THROUGHOUT OUR WORDS:
a. You’re not convincing with your intelligence or genuineness, so you’re trying to convince with shock value.
- Ephesians 4:29.
- Often in using curse words you’re acknowledging that you can’t be convincing with your intelligence or your genuineness, so you’re going to do it by being shocking.
- Types of IQ: mental intelligence, emotional intelligence.
- Wisdom is part of the issue here too, with one type of wisdom being defined as knowing the core issue amid all the distractions.
- George Will said something like, cursing is the attempt of a small mind to make a large point.
b. Your identity is bound up in doing what’s inappropriate.
- James 3:9-10.
- This says, “This is who I am!” It’s a statement of identity.
- What comes out of our mouth tells us the state of our heart.
2. WHEN WE WANT TO CURSE SOMEONE:
a. We want terrible things to happen to them.
- Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35; Romans 12:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 5:15.
- “God d--- you.” Even if we don’t always think about what we’re saying, we’re cursing that person. We are asking God to bring bad things into that life.
- Compare that to the call to love our enemies and leave judgment to God.
3. WHEN WE INVOKE GOD'S NAME:
a. We’re ok with treating God’s name as a casual nothing.
- Exodus 20:7; Matthew 6:9.
- Matthew 6:9 – “Hallowed be Your name.”
- Like “Oh my God!” or “Oh God!”
b. Lacking character, we try to use God’s name to manipulate others for our benefit.
- Matthew 5:33-37.
c. We are hypocritical enough to praise and curse with the same name.
- James 3:9-10.
- Do we shout praise to Jesus’ name and use “Jesus Christ” as a curse from the same mouth?
- How much do we treasure the name of Jesus?
- I read once of some kids who were asked to describe what it meant to have someone love you. One child’s response has stuck with me: “When someone loves you, your name is safe in their mouth.”
- How valuable? Get Ada’s quilt. Would I use it to cuddle up warmly on the couch or to pick up dog poop? One shows I value it; one shows I don’t.
