More Than Cursing

What does it mean to take the Lord’s Name in vain?  Have you given this thought?  Let me suggest several ways:

The most obvious way one takes His precious Name in vain is by using it through cursing. When folks use the Name of God and Jesus Christ to express ungodly emotional outbursts, how this must grieve His heart.  God's last name is not "Damn," and Jesus Christ is so holy and precious; so when people use His Name in such an appalling manner, they curse the only Name that can save them!

A second way God's Name is used vainly is when people use His Name, but do not direct their thoughts and exclamations to His Person.  Let me explain.  Often we hear people say, "Oh my God!"  It's all too easy to get caught up in this misguided phrase.  Throughout the Psalms David and others continually use this phrase, but only when they address God Himself.  When employed in this manner, God receives praise, reverence and glory.  For example, In Psalm 63:1 we read, "Oh my God, You are my God, I shall seek You earnestly."  David is directing His thoughts to his God.

However, when we haphazardly use the phrase, "Oh my God" to voice our displeasure or surprise, our focus is not on God.  We take the awesomeness of His Name and misdirect it. We apply it irreverently.  When I was growing up, we were discouraged from saying, "Gosh, Gee, or heck," for these expressions were thought to be substitutes for God, Jesus and hell. Regardless of the validity of such thinking, it behooves us as believers to guard the use of questionable nouns!  So, if you use the phrase, "Oh my God," make sure it's Him to whom you are speaking.

There's a third way we use God's Name in vain.  It's perhaps more subtle than the first two. It disguises itself nicely under the cloak of spirituality!  When we use His Name without permission, we use it in vain.  How many times have believers said, "God told me," or "God spoke to me" to manipulate or control a situation?  Still, others use His Name to get what they want.  Saints, only use His Name when you get permission from the Throne.  Don't misquote the Lord!  Don't use His Name to support your selfish ambitions or to feed your self-centered desires.  Don't use His Name meaninglessly!

In recent years the phrase, “prophetic word” has filled the ranks of I think well-meaning believers; but never have I witnessed such abuse.  Many times people give “pathetic words!”  I don’t have time to elaborate in this blog, but supposed personal revelations that many times do not come into alignment with God’s Word have brought confusion and even false teaching, all the while using God’s Name to misdirect people.  God forbid that we use His precious Name to bring hurt into peoples’ lives.

Finally, we take the Lord's Name in vain when we worship Him with our mouth, but do not honor Him with our hearts.  The Old Testament prophets repeatedly directed this indictment toward Israel.  Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13 when He said, "The people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me; but in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men" (Matthew 15:8-9)

The Lord is looking for heartfelt, true worshipers.  He wants us to put our hearts where our mouths are and vice versa.  Determine in your heart to sincerely honor the Lord's Name, both in conduct and word.  His Name is earth's most precious.  One songwriter said, "He's the hope of earth and joy of heaven."  Don't you love His Name?

Sticks and Stones

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me.” 

We may have mimicked these words while playing as children, but we were kidding no one.  Unkind and hurtful words spoken in haste can follow us throughout life!  They become soul wounds. Words are forces that either heal or hurt.  They either affirm or negatively affect us. 

Someone I know was often referred to as “a dumbass” during his childhood and it took him many years to shake the emotional and residual effects of what became a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Sadly, those words became the filter through which he viewed life.  I know, because that “someone” was me!”

That’s why I love to affirm others today.  God wants us to call forth the potential in them, to speak life-altering words over them.  Such was the case when I was seven years old.

As a boy, no one had difficulty picking me out of family photos.  I was the one with the big head!  From infancy through early adolescence my head grew disproportionately with the rest of my body.  Classmates would sneak up behind me, tap the back of my head and yell, “Hey, fathead!”  I laughed on the outside, but inside these words cut like a knife. 

One summer day a pastor and his wife visited our home to invite us to attend their little church.  I was hiding in the shadow of the door to our home; however, like a magnet the wife’s attention was directed toward me.  She asked, “What’s your name?” I replied with a sheepish grin.

She then knelt down, her eyes level with mine, placed both hands on my head and said, “My, what a handsome little boy you are.”  Only God knows the full impact of those kind words!  Hands of love embraced my head where hands of ridicule had often struck.  In that instance, my life was changed.  That’s how powerful words can be!

Overcome with emotion, I ran to my bedroom and cried.  I had experienced unconditional love and acceptance.  A soul wound was healed that day!

Words of affirmation, perhaps insignificant to other members of my family, pulled out a deep-seated hurt from within me.   Her hands were Jesus’ hands extended.  Kind words literally changed the course of my life.  I immediately wanted to become a preacher, although at the time I did not really know what a preacher did – I just knew I wanted what that pastor’s wife possessed!

Yes, “sticks and stones do break bones, and words can harm us.”  However, life-giving words impact all of us in ways too numerous to understand.