Hypocrite. We talk about this word a lot at my church. They used to be the people who were in plays. Theater people. They were pretending to be someone they really weren't. Face it, we, as Christians, have all had to deal with this in our lives at some point. I don't think people like it very much when they see us Christians as hypocrites. No wonder they don't like us (one of the many reasons I'm sure). We act one way somewhere, but then act a totally different way in a different place.
This has occurred to me before many times, but today the idea hit me square in the face. I was talking to some friends by our lockers and a few words slipped out of their mouths that I know they probably didn't exactly mean, but those words will forever be floating through space.
During the weekend, we were talking about a friend we're all a little worried about. This friend has been cussing a lot and has the worst attitude right now. My friends made it clear to me that they make a point to not swear in front of him.
That's all fine and dandy for him, but what about the rest of us? None of us should be swearing. When I heard my friends talk today, a light flickered in my brain about hypocrites. Sure we tell our friend not to swear, but then go to school and start swearing? Man, that's just not right.
Jesus said, " I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37
So not only will your words be floating in space forever more (blame physics on that), but God doesn't forget. You can't take back words that you've said in the past. It's like the old toothpaste trick. You dump out the toothpaste and the goal is to try to get the toothpaste back into the tube. I learned a good lesson from that on one of our mission trips to Sun Valley Indian School. That was a lesson we did with the kids there.
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:4
Now if you know the texting/messaging lingo, then you probably know the different ways of saying that you're laughing out loud (lol). I'm not gonna say any other besides that one because some of them are pretty obscene. According to my study Bible, they aren't talking about plain old humor hear. It's the dirty jokes and the like that are the problem. Also by being thankful for all that God has given us, we can displace evil thoughts and words.
I can't stand saying swear words. There was a point in my life when I just didn't care about what I said and I let anything slip especially in front of my parents. If you go back and read some of my old Xanga blogs, you might be very surprised by what you read. I used to say some pretty bad things, but I can't take them back and I know that (darn toothpaste!). I don't even like to listen to people swear. I cringe when I hear a foul word come out of my friends' mouths. I even cringe when I slip up and swear. I always immediately feel guilty after doing so. It only happens when I get really angry over something stupid usually like an inanimate object like my math homework.
You know this idea just flashed in my head. We're studying roots in my English class right now and this particular root just flashed in my head. Vulg meaning common. So the word "vulgar" is words spoken by commoners.
As Christians, are we just commoners? Or are we something different? I always thought we were something different.
Do you want to be a hypocrite Christian who is just a commoner? Or do you want to be a real Christian who speaks only the truth?
And hey, if you've got nothing nice to say, then I suggest you say nothing at all. That's what we learned as kids right?
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