APRIL 15

James 3:13

CURSING AND SWEARING

 Cursing is using rude or vulgar words when you are angry. Cursing is also saying evil things about someone who has made you angry. It is vital that the Christian does not curse or swear. It undermines our witness as a follower of Jesus. When other people see us curse, they won’t see us as any different from non-Christians. We become the stumbling block to others. This is a bad testimony to the Christian faith and practice. Therefore, be in command of your tongue.

Would you like to hear a story? It tells of how a little girl’s actions stopped a group of young men from swearing and cursing. This is how it goes: The little girl was travelling with her mother in a crowded train. She carried her Bible wherever she went.

Not far from where they sat were a group of young soldiers. They were talking loudly. Not just talking, they used swear words. One of them who seemed to be the leader swore the most. The girl noticed that her mother was disturbed. She whispered to her mother that she would give her Bible to them. 

 Stepping from her seat and inching her way to the man who had been cursing the loudest, she presented him the Bible. She laid the book in his hands. She then looked him in his eyes and with an earnest tone, she spoke, "Please, don’t curse anymore!"

The soldiers kept quiet at once. eir loud talking and cursing stopped. For the rest of the journey not another curse was heard. When it was time for the young man who had received the Bible to disembark the train, to the little girl he said, "I thank you for the Bible, dear child. I will read it everyday. I will always keep it."

 We do hear on the streets, even in schools, people cursing each other. As Christians, we must not curse or swear. We must also not watch TV programmes that contain bad language. What we do must be pleasing in the sight of God. May God help us.

Thought: Is cursing the people in our lives the right thing to do?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me praise God always. Help me to be careful with what I say, especially when I am angry. Instead, give me the strength to control myself for often when I’m angry, I say things that I regret. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
(Story adapted from ‘How God Used A understorm’ by J R Beeke & D Kleyn)