Apples of Gold
Radio Script for August 25, 2008
“Cussing Christians”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
I must get a certain look on my face.
I mean, I try not to.
But when I hear a Christian use foul language, I must just get a certain look.
I know this because sometimes they say, “Don’t look at me that way.”
One Christian man said, “Don’t look at me like that. I know exactly what I said, and it’s just what I meant to say.”
Another man said, “Oh relax, Doug. It’s okay to be a little ‘earthy’ now and then.”
In Matthew 12:34 Jesus said, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
So what does it say about your heart if your mouth speaks foul language?
Here’s a good testimony from my neighborhood. Tropical Storm Fay dumped about 20 inches of rain on us this weekend, and we had a flood scare on my street as the water crept up to our houses. Neighbors worked together into the night to keep the water flow away from our homes. It was dirty work and a bit scary, and yet from not one of my neighbors did I hear a single foul word.
It reminds me of the old saying, “If you want to find out what’s inside a person, watch what comes out when they are squeezed.”
“Well Doug, I’m just waiting for the Lord to take it away.”
Well, He might, and He might not. I’ve heard of many people who instantly stopped cussing the moment they came to Christ. “God just cleaned up my mouth,” they said.
On the other hand, I’ve heard baby Christians use foul language even in their testimony.
The burden to clean up our language is ours. Colossians 3:8 says we must rid ourselves of filthy language.
So how can we do that? Let’s start at the source. Jesus said it’s out of the overflow of our heart that our mouth speaks. So we need to change what is flowing in our heart.
Colossians 3:1 says, “…set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
What does it mean to set our hearts on something? Think about a little girl who has her heart set on getting a new cell phone for her birthday. That cell phone is her focus, her hope, her joy. The thought of it excites her. She thinks about it and imagines it.
So when we set our heart on things above, it is our focus, our hope and our joy. The thought of heavenly things excites us.
Then our heart is filled with heavenly things, and that’s what will flow out of our mouth.
So if you want to obey Colossians 3:8 and rid yourself of filthy language, then set your heart on things above. Fill your heart with the things of God, and your language will clear up on its own.
“But Doug, I don’t mean anything by it when I use foul language. It just slips out. It’s a habit. I can’t stop it.”
Oh, you can stop it. I know non-Christians who stopped cursing just to be more professional.
Here is one trick you can try. Every time you use a foul word, immediately apologize. Don’t justify it or ignore it. Humble yourself and say, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” Humbling yourself will put you on the fast track to fixing your vocabulary.
Another trick is to ask your friends to hold you accountable. Just tell them, “I’m cleaning up my language. If you hear me get off the straight and narrow, tell me.”
I heard about one man who put a rubber band around his wrist. Then every time he said a cussword he snapped himself and said, “Lord, forgive me.”
I read about some new parents who wanted to clean up their language before their kids picked it up. They would catch each other, then the other person would have to remake their statement in 10 different ways without the offending word.
Colossians 1:10 talks about living a life “worthy of the Lord” and pleasing Him “in every way.” And one way to please the Lord is to rid ourselves of filthy language.
I heard about one lady who said, “But sometimes nothing expresses my true feelings like a good cuss word.”
A Christian should not react to situations by blurting out curse words. Colossians 3 says we should put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature, including anger and rage, malice and slander. Instead it says we should clothe ourselves with gentleness and patience, kindness and humility.
And again, it comes back to our heart. We need to set our hearts on the things of God, not on the things of this world. God and His kingdom and His work become our focus. Spreading the Gospel and making disciples. Loving our neighbors and helping everyone we can.
As we fill our hearts with these things, they will take over our vocabulary.
So how is your language today? If it’s not what it should be, then take on the Colossians 3:10 challenge – to rid yourself of all filthy language.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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