My Mouth ...

James 3:10 "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."

Why when our children are young to we correct foul words, and yet many of us as hypocrites use the same foul language ourselves? Perhaps not around our children but at work, sporting events, parties, etc.

Why does it become (more) socially acceptable for adults to speak like that?

I had a friend tell me that it's culture that determines what is foul, and what is not (a very common view). That when I read passages like this in Paul's letter to the Ephesians (5:4) "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving" that I should realize that "bad" or "clean" language is determined by the culture. However that's the problem, we are letting culture drive, and that my friends scares me. Once we start moving the grey area wider and not drawing lines on what is truly acceptable behavior we get in a whole heap of trouble.

How long before pornography is culturally acceptable on broadcast TV? Do you really think it's not going to happen if we don't change at the rate we're going now? Honestly, Elvis shaking his hips was wrong not too long ago. Have you watched any shows on TV lately? Daytime soaps? They're 1/4" away from soft core porn some of them. So don't lie to yourself that it won't change. Our cultural bar of tolerance will adjust right along with it.

But let's go back to language again; same comparison. Think of the words that are allowed on public broadcast TV now and compare that with 20 or 30 years ago. Now fast forward another 30 years ... imagine the words that the FCC fines the companies for today that will be accepted by culture then. So what then? Do we move the Bible forward and say that when Paul was speaking (above) please refer to the "current list of bad words"?

I then had a friend start to tell me how even some words I think are clean now were certainly not clean during Biblical times. This didn't make me change my view, it just made my point all the more clear. Biblical acceptance, or cultural acceptance, you pick.

I was tempted to find pictures from college parties over the years, post them, and ask if you think they changed a bit. Then I was going to ask if you were ok with your daughter being in one of the more recent ones when she went to college. After all, wild open sex is the new cool. Oh ... but that's just culture that determines that ... so that should be ok then.

Lord help me wash my children with Your Word so they can know You as I know You. May they feel Your love and love You back by giving You honor and glory in the way they live their life.

My conviction among this is I'm cleaning up my mouth. Jokes, Words, Remarks, etc. What comes out of my mouth is an overflow from the heart. May He renew my heart.

I'm not going to "blend in" anymore. My Lord wants me to be a city on a hill, not a stamped suburban home.

I ask you to join me.

His

~Matthew