Integrity and Maturity

I recently saw a video posted by Ed Young on his frustration with people using profanity. Here are my thoughts.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29

“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.” 1 Peter 3:10

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” James 3:9-10


Ok, those aren’t MY original thoughts, but they are the thoughts of my Lord, my Saviour, my God, my Redeemer, the One I look to for guidance and fulfillment, the One whose example I try to follow, the One whose life I try to emulate……do you see where I’m going here?

It is not ok to swear. It is not ok or funny or cool to use words associated with sexuality or filth or God as a description or exclamation. In fact, all it shows is a lack of respect, intelligence and creativity.

Here’s the thing that I really find hard to understand. How can a person come to church and sing a song like “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart bless Your name, bless Your name, Jesus” and then turn around and call someone a sexually derogatory name? It seem a simple matter of integrity, doesn't it?

The people close to me know that I do my best not to use this kind of language, but I’m now going to take that stance once step further. I am going to start calling the people around me on their language. Now, I’m not going to go to a hockey game a reprimand everyone there whenever they use profanity, but I am going to call my friends and the people I lead in my ministry on their language. It’s time we used our creativity rather than mindless, uninspired, unimaginative language to describe situations or people. To use words that are loving and uplifting rather than hateful, dirty and degrading. It’s time we started calling each other to be mature Christians.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer” Psalm 19:14