No Corrupt Word

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ... Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. - Ephesians 4:29, 31

 ... to be spiritually minded is life and peace - Romans 8:6b

Foul language is exactly that, foul.  It is foul to our senses.  Julie and I found that once we had children we were very sensitive to bad language.  I'm still not sure what surprises more about people who use that kind of language around kids, the fact that they actually use it around kids or the fact that they aren't aware they are using it around kids.  Now, I'm offended if they use it around me.  I want to ask them to show some respect for society.  But, often I just politely ask them to keep their voice down or to please not use that language.

The unfortunate aspect of this in our society is our entertainment industry puts this language in every movie, and lots of it.  There are many movies that we thought we'd like but the language was so bad we couldn't watch it, and there really was no reason to put that much in the movie.  Overall, that much forced listening to language makes us NUMB (Julie take notice - another aspect for the Numb work) to it and we start accepting some now and a little later.  Before we know it, we don't even notice the small words.

Obviously this is used consistently in sports.  I've always admired those coaches that set the bar high for themselves and their players.  They don't use those words and they don't accept them from their players.  The most well run programs won't let most of their players talk to the media until they get their language and ability to respond to questions well practiced and in control.  This protects the players and the program's image.  As Christians we must make sure we are part of a well run program and we don't speak in bitterness, wrath, anger to anyone.  This protects our witness and the Christian image.

The Jesus Calling devotion says this: Ask the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Living God, within to order your day and control your thoughts for the mind controlled by the Spirit is Life and Peace (Romans 8:6b).

I need to focus and pray specifically for the Holy Spirit within me to control my thoughts.  If my thoughts are controlled by the Spirit, then so my words will be also.