James 3: 5-10 “The tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”
Yesterday, after watching our Los Angeles Lakers win the NBA Championship Playoffs, I sat out on our front porch swing to enjoy the peaceful late afternoon of a beautiful Southern California Sunday. The tranquility was soon vanquished by the loud and vulgar language that was approaching rapidly from down the street. “F” Bombs were being dropped, seemingly, every other word from a young man celebrating the Laker basketball victory. He was putting on quite a show of counter-culture, gang-style rhetoric. Samuel, who lives down the street at the house at the alley, yelled out his rude and offensive words to the neighborhood where he lives, not out of joy of a fan, but as an aggressive and challenging act of defiance to the God-fearing, law-abiding and peace-loving society that is America. The America that values godliness, manners, morals, integrity, loyalty, courteous, kindness, character, respect, charity, honesty, fairness, and care for your fellow man. I found and read a 1890 Primer of Ethics that was taught in our American schools with subjects as truth, obedience, industry, honesty, fidelity, justice, politeness, conscientiousness, forgiveness, gratitude, purity, duty to God and profanity. The chapter on profanity states that the habit of profane swearing is a most detestable one, and adds no force to language. Profanity is one of the most vulgar, vicious, and wicked of all vices. There is absolutely no reason or justification for it. Remember that God hears every word that you say. Why did we stop teaching this to our children?
When confronted about his use of indecent language and asked to stop the swear words, the “F” bombs were then directed at us. But with some calm, non-emotionly charged, logical and wise reasoning by another good neighbor, Samuel came back to apologize. Where are we going wrong? By tolerating the darkness of counter-culture and being silent. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
It wasn’t until this morning that I heard what happened after the game in downtown Los Angeles: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/at-least-8-arrested-amid-unrest-at-staples-center-after-lakers-victory.html. I am ashamed of the lawlessness and shameless acts of disgraceful violence taking place in our country today ... riots in LA over “winning a Basketball game”? Wrong is wrong and it is going to take God’s people to step out of the bleachers and get involved in this game of life in America to firmly expose the wrong and change that wrong to “right” for Christ’s sake, and the hearts, minds and souls going the wrong way with love and compassion. Turn this world up-side-down and make it "Right" side up by bringing God into the picture, visible in their sight, shining light into the darkness of this age.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.”
Serve the Lord and teach others to serve the God that loves them, but they do not know ... yet!
Brian
Yesterday, after watching our Los Angeles Lakers win the NBA Championship Playoffs, I sat out on our front porch swing to enjoy the peaceful late afternoon of a beautiful Southern California Sunday. The tranquility was soon vanquished by the loud and vulgar language that was approaching rapidly from down the street. “F” Bombs were being dropped, seemingly, every other word from a young man celebrating the Laker basketball victory. He was putting on quite a show of counter-culture, gang-style rhetoric. Samuel, who lives down the street at the house at the alley, yelled out his rude and offensive words to the neighborhood where he lives, not out of joy of a fan, but as an aggressive and challenging act of defiance to the God-fearing, law-abiding and peace-loving society that is America. The America that values godliness, manners, morals, integrity, loyalty, courteous, kindness, character, respect, charity, honesty, fairness, and care for your fellow man. I found and read a 1890 Primer of Ethics that was taught in our American schools with subjects as truth, obedience, industry, honesty, fidelity, justice, politeness, conscientiousness, forgiveness, gratitude, purity, duty to God and profanity. The chapter on profanity states that the habit of profane swearing is a most detestable one, and adds no force to language. Profanity is one of the most vulgar, vicious, and wicked of all vices. There is absolutely no reason or justification for it. Remember that God hears every word that you say. Why did we stop teaching this to our children?
When confronted about his use of indecent language and asked to stop the swear words, the “F” bombs were then directed at us. But with some calm, non-emotionly charged, logical and wise reasoning by another good neighbor, Samuel came back to apologize. Where are we going wrong? By tolerating the darkness of counter-culture and being silent. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
It wasn’t until this morning that I heard what happened after the game in downtown Los Angeles: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/at-least-8-arrested-amid-unrest-at-staples-center-after-lakers-victory.html. I am ashamed of the lawlessness and shameless acts of disgraceful violence taking place in our country today ... riots in LA over “winning a Basketball game”? Wrong is wrong and it is going to take God’s people to step out of the bleachers and get involved in this game of life in America to firmly expose the wrong and change that wrong to “right” for Christ’s sake, and the hearts, minds and souls going the wrong way with love and compassion. Turn this world up-side-down and make it "Right" side up by bringing God into the picture, visible in their sight, shining light into the darkness of this age.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.”
Serve the Lord and teach others to serve the God that loves them, but they do not know ... yet!
Brian
2 comments:
Thanks Bro for your blog, The word of God will never go void.
Love in Christ. Greg
I was told by a retired friend of mine that this type of character, celebrating a win by looting, cussing, vandalizing property, etc.. was just a way that our culture vents their emotions such as joy. If thats how our culture celebrates the good things, now I understand why so many people are being killed, a celebration of anger I guess is what you call it. My son received his high school yearbook and he had a few classmates sign it. A freshman girl dropped the "F" bomb in every sentence and suggested that he would have a great summer if he fornicated, not in those words, very descriptive and I have just touched the tip of the ice berg on this girls message. How brazen our culture has become, she not only signed her name, but didn't give it a second thought as to who else might read her message. We live in very sad times, PREACH THE WORD!
Post a Comment