On The Use of Profanity

"For I tell you that on the day of judgment men will
have to give account for every idle, inoperative,
non-working word they speak."
Matt. 13:36

I did not grow up in a Christian home, but I never heard my parents use any profanity. Even though I overheard them argue often, profanity was never a part of their exchange. Profanity was never spoken on television or radio. I never heard it at school. That I can recall, none of my friends or their families used profanity. Buck Davis, married to my cousin and the only father-figure I ever knew, never once used a word of profanity. He most certainly had just cause, living with ten plus kids every summer all summer on their ranch!

I was about grown when I heard my first words of profanity. I remember the shock. (Is ANYONE shocked by ANYTHING these days???) Early in my college years I used profanity because I was around people that did that and I thought it was grown-up and cool. But I remember how I felt every time I used those words. Shortly I saw how "un-classy" it really was and stopped.

These days profanity is rampant. In fact, it is so commonplace that we have become a society callused to it. Above all else, it is a heart matter: "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matt. 13:34). Regardless of our denial of such, what we allow into our ears over and over will end up in our hearts and will come out of our mouths. Call me prudish, but every time I hear foul language, especially God's name taken in vain, it's like someone dragging their fingernails down a blackboard. Secondly, the "emphatic" use of a foul word displays such ignorance of the English language.

I am sad for our children growing up in a society that so abuses language. My friend Tina is not bashful about confronting such. She and her family were recently in a crowded restaurant. At the table behind them was a group of young people. Every other word, it seemed, was profane. Tina got up, walked over to the table, strongly expressed her disdain. The group acquiesced, and my friend and her family had a much more pleasant evening. It probably did little to change those youth, but at least Tina set an example for her own children.

We are instructed in the Bible to please God and not man. I wonder how many even consider how displeasing it is to God when foul language goes forth. Do they even think about how profanity makes others around them feel? So I leave you with this: "Let no corrupt communication proceed our of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers." (Eph. 4:29)