I grew up not cussing. My mom did not cuss and my dad just used colorful language like “Good night, nurse” and “Hell’s Bells.” My brother said Dad cursed when he dropped a power pole on his foot but I can hardly blame him. That must have hurt like the dickens.
Well, in college I unintentionally picked up a cuss word and it stuck with me. I started to say it on my first trip home, but my dad’s look caught me up short.
For a long time, I justified my use of that word—it didn’t take the Lord’s name in vain or call down curses on anyone. It just meant excrement. But Scripture brought me up short on that one.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29
I sure don’t think it benefits anyone to hear me cuss so I felt convicted to work on this. I hope I’m the only one who has this particular failing, but I doubt it. Let’s work on our language together, shall we? What unwholesome talk habits do you have? May our language be surrendered to God such that it is truly wholesome and beneficial.