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A
very cautious driver was being followed by a very impatient lady. As he
approached an intersection, the light turned yellow. Even though he
could have easily slipped through before it turned red, he slowed to a
stop at the crosswalk. The impatient lady was furious that she had
missed the chance to get through before the light changed. She pulled
up right behind the cautious man, hocked her horn and shouted some
things that ought not to be repeated.
Just
then a police officer knocked on her door and order her out of the car
with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was
searched, fingerprinted, photographed and placed in a cell. About three
hours later an officer came and escorted her back to the booking area.
The arresting officer approached her and said, “I’m very sorry. We have
made a mistake. You are free to go.”
But
then he paused and explained, “I pulled up behind you as you were
yelling and cursing, and I noticed there was a ‘Chose Life” license
holder on the back of your car. On one side was a bumper sticker that
read “What Would Jesus Do?’ and on the other another that said, “Meet Me
in Sunday School’. Plus there was a little chrome fish emblem with
‘Jesus’ engraved in the middle. So naturally I assumed that you had
stolen the car!”
The
lady’s speech had given her away. The Bible says, “If anyone considers
himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he
deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
If
Christians want to have a religion that is worth something, they must
control their tongues even when they are angry. Instead of yelling and
spewing out hurtful words, the Bible says, “In your anger do not sin. Do
not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths. Get rid of all
bitterness, rage and anger.” (Ephesians 4:26,29,31). Instead, it says
to “let your gentleness be evident to all.” (Philippians 4:5).
Jesus warned us that we must also control our speech when we emphasize
what we say. “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No',” he
said. “Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37).
It should not be necessary to add a string of expletives to get a point
across. Our lives should reflect so much honesty that our word is taken
at face value.
The
world is so full of ugly, hateful speech. Homes were meant to be places
of security and peace, not endless yelling, arguing and ugly words.
People were created to find significance in goodness and not in trying
to show their strength in how foul or dominating they can talk. The
Bible tells us that there should not even be a hint of obscenity among
God’s people. While our speech is never to include what is generally
called the “four letter words” it should also not include those words
that hint at swearing – words like the one that rhymes with “trap” but
starts with “c”, or the one that rhymes with “pitch” but starts with
“b”. While we might say that we “suck” milk up a straw, it is ugly to
use the same word in connection with a person or an event. Instead of
darkening the world we are to brighten it with beauty and gentleness.
Soon
after Deion Sanders gave his life to Christ he became concerned about
his habitual use of bad words. So, one morning he took a $100 bill and
broke it into twenties. The first time he said a bad word, he walked up
to the next person he saw and handed him a $20 bill. When another word
came out, he did the same. According to Sanders, by the time he
exhausted his final twenty he had broken the habit.
As a
pastor, I find it so sad to see families live far below the joy that God
intended for their homes. There may be differences of opinions and
misunderstandings. But yelling and ugly words are not part of God’s
plan for anyone. It is possible to learn to resolve issues in a gentle
and calm way. Cursing and yelling back do not solve problems. They
only make the world a little sadder and our hearts a little darker.
There is a better way – it is the way of love.
Paul Jetter, Upper Valley Community Church |
