Talkin’ Like Everyone Else?
by Miss Alyssa
When you hang out with a friend or group of friends, do you find yourself beginning to talk like them? Words you may have never heard before suddenly pop up in your mind–and even out of your mouth? This can be a good thing or a bad thing. It depends on who your friends are. If they are God-fearing young ladies who speak what is wise, lovely, and encouraging, then it is a good thing. However, if they swear, use God’s name in vain, and/or are careless in their speech, it is a very bad thing. This is another reason why it is so important for your close friends to be strong believers in Jesus.
As an example, let us examine the issue concerning the misuse of God’s name. Sadly, I hear even Christians use God’s name in vain frequently. These Christians then go and inadvertently have a bad influence on others. Did you know that some foreigners (i.e. international students) who come to America start using our Lord’s name in vain because they think it is “cool” or “an American thing”? What a sad testimony to the lack of true Christian influence in America today! It is not cool to misuse God’s name; it is in direct disobedience to God’s commands.
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7
What exactly is using God’s name in vain? It’s not just when you say “G-o-d” and don’t really mean it. When you interject “g-o-s-h”, “g-o-l-l-y”, or “g-e-e” or write “O-M-G”, you use God’s name in vain. Some people may claim, “That is not using God’s name in vain!” Please look in the dictionary. “G-o-s-h” and “G-o-l-l-y” are euphemistic variations of God and “G-e-e/G-e-e-z” is a euphemistic shortening of Jesus. The definition of euphemism (the noun form of euphemistic) according to The American Heritage Desk Dictionary is, “The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.” This shows that people know using “G-o-d” is offensively explicit so they try to substitute something else. It still means the same thing, though.
Even though I don’t like it, I can understand when unbelievers use God’s name in vain. They do not care about God. They are not saved; they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. But how can we, as Christians, misuse God’s name? This is serious. It is a sin. People hear how we talk. Are we speaking of our Lord reverently? As Christians, we are to be light and salt to the world. If we misuse God’s name, how will others see us as different than the world?
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16
We should want people to praise our Father. If we, as His children, do not praise and glorify Him in the way we act and speak, how can we expect the people around us to do so? Let us determine to always give the Lord and His holy name our utmost reverence. We can have a wonderful influence on those around us if we keep our speech and life pure. In order to do this, we must not allow ourselves to be influenced and conformed by the world.
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men.”
Matthew 5:13
May we never lose our saltiness!
