Cursing vs Crude Language

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my reactions to crude language. I'm 72 and was not brought up with the F-word in our house. However, we did hear a lot of GDI's and Go to He**, and OMG's.

Most folks today do not stop to think of the meaning of the words Cursing and Crude Language. Nowhere in the Bible or in the Ten Commandments does it say anything about crude language. I imagine Jesus heard quite a bit of it from those 12 young men he recruited. I imagine those fishermen could let go with some colorful phrases.

However, the Ten Commandments put God's name almost at the top of the list. They tell us we should not take his name in vain. That means we should not treat his name casually, without thought. We do that completely without thought these days, with our OMG's.

Any time that we say his name, or that of his beloved son, Jesus, and we are not using their names as part of a prayer or a conversation with them, we are going against that Second Commandment.

Any time we tell someone to Go to He**, we are literally putting a curse upon them, telling them we want them eternally damned and doomed.

And, any time we utter the GDI phrase, we are damning that person or thing to eternal ruin.

So, somehow, I must learn to just shrug off the F-word and other crude remarks, and pay more attention to the Lord's name in all its forms. I must use his name only in prayer, or in his praise.

This is very hard for me. I know it is not my place to correct folks with crude language habits. As for taking his name in vain, I must begin first with my own speech, my own habits.

Dear Father and Sweet Jesus, please guide me as often as possible, as often as I need it, in my efforts to change my casual habits regarding the holiness of your names. I need a lot of help in this area of my life, and I want to be a good example to others, but I need your help.