Curse Words

I don't have a lot of good memories from the time when my brother was addicted to drugs. God has truly set him free from that addiction and he is such a man of God now that I look up to, but that period of time was extremely rough on my family. I don't like to think about that time, but there is one moment that I always seem to remember. Oddly enough, it's a moment that I think God truly spoke through my brother to me before he was clean. My brother was saying a lot of curse words in the house and I became very outraged and told him to never say those words in our house again. He went off about how there isn't a set list of words that are taboo in the bible and that you can make any word a curse word. I don't think he knows it, but that has stuck in my mind and God has slowly been opening my eyes to the actual truth in that.

In the bible, there really isn't a set of words you cannot say. It says to not let unwholesome talk come out of yours mouth, but it doesn't say a specific set of words that are unwholesome. What it says is unwholesome is gossip and slander. Lying about people is cursing them. Gossiping about people is cursing them. The real curse is not in the actual words you use, but the intent behind them. If I'm driving down the road and a car pulls out in front of me, me saying crap instead of the "S" word is really not that big of a difference. Now I do believe that you should maintain your witness and those "curse words" could cause someone to stumble or doubt your faith which is not good, but honestly we need to watch for the unwholesome talk and not think that we're "good" just because we don't say a list of words that I believe Jesus could honestly care less about.

"If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless." (James 1:26)

Has anything unwholesome come out of your mouth lately?
Have you talked bad about anyone recently, or better yet though bad thoughts about someone? Remember, Jesus said that thoughts you let stay in your mind are just as bad as actions. I believe that this is what God hates. He hates gossip and slander. He hates a tongue that puts others down instead of lifting them up.

So the real question is, who have you cursed with the intent in your words?

Dear God,
Help us to stop being so legalistic in our religion and start to let Your love in us pour out in love for others. Help us believers to stop gossiping and cursing others with our words. Help us to not look down on others for using these taboo words that we, as Pharisees, have added onto the law. Forgive us for our sins, and help us to live more like You out of gratitude that flows from what You did on the cross for us. I love you so much.
Amen.