What the Grawlix!?

#@$*&! Here’s fun fact that I learned not long ago–a sequence of nonsense symbols used to represent a profane word or phrase, such as the one just before the beginning of this sentence, is known as a grawlix. Something I learned a long time ago in Sunday School and from my mama and daddy that it’s a sin to take the Lord’s name in vain. After all, Exodus 20:7 (KJV)—also known as the Fourth Commandment—tells us “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain….”  What does that really mean? First of all, what is the Lord’s name? Simply put, that includes all the names that we use to refer to our Maker—God, Lord, Jesus, and Christ, to name a few. And the phrase “in vain” means futile, empty pointless, or wasted.

In his article, “How We Take God’s Name in Vain,” John Piper explains that:

When the heart is emptied of affections for God, and words are emptied of the truth of God, all thoughts, all words, all emotions, and all actions are empty, pointless, futile, and in vain. Therefore, to take the name of God in vain is to take up some expression of God’s reality into our thoughts or emotions or words or actions when the truth of God has gone out of them, and true affections for God are missing.

In plain English, we are using God’s name in vain when we speak the word “God” (or any of His other names) with no regard to who He is, or when we use His name casually or irreverently. Saying, “Jesus Christ!” in any way other than praise is one example. And of course, the frequently-heard curse which begins with the word “God” and ends with a D-word is included in the big list of no-no’s. But it also includes using God’s name as a curse word, such as, “Oh my God!” or “Good Lord!” For those of us who are text-savvy, does OMG amount to the same thing? Does it carry the same weight? The short answer, in my opinion, is yes.

In addition to the instruction in the 4^th Commandment, there are other reasons to curb our language. In the article, “Is Cursing Really That Big of a Sin?” author Blair Parke outlines three additional reasons that we should be mindful of our language. First, cursing ruins our witness of Jesus and it dishonors God. It’s hard to convince others that God is holy when our language says otherwise.

Second, cursing doesn’t “lift up” either the speaker or the audience. In Ephesians 4:29 (NIV), the Apostle Paul states, “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.” The language litmus test is whether or not our words are helpful or harmful. Helpful good. Harmful bad.

And a third reason to control our tongues, according to Parke, is because cursing creates an open door to more sinning. Cursing is a “gateway drug,” if you will, that numbs our sensibilities to what is acceptable. If we assume that cursing is ok, then what else can the devil convince us is also acceptable?

Got it—don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. But does the Bible mention any other “language problems?” Why yes, yes it does! In Ephesians 5:4, we are told to refrain from “…obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place….” In Colossians 3:8, Paul asks us to rid ourselves of “anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language.”

In James 1:26, James (the brother of Jesus) says that if we consider ourselves “religious,” but we don’t control our mouths, our religion is worthless. In his letter to Timothy, Paul writes that we must “avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2 Timothy 2:16)

What’s the ultimate reason to be mindful of our words? Jesus himself lays down the law, so to speak, in Matthew 12:36-37, when he states, “…I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Are we speaking empty words? Are we telling coarse jokes and using filthy language? Are we participating in godless chatter? Is our language ruining our witness of Jesus? I’d love to tell you that my personal answer to all of these questions is no, but, sadly, I would not be speaking the truth.

So how do we go about re-training ourselves to speak as we should? How do we build up one another with our language? Guess what? The Bible has great advice. Here’s the short answer: pray! Allow me to suggest two scriptures (prayers) from the Psalms that deal very specifically with cleaning up our language:

 “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Until I get everything under control, I think I’m going to keep my grawlix mouth shut.