Yeah…It’s The Same Thing

Last week’s post was on Practical Ways To Give God The Glory. In that post, I mentioned that the tongue was the hardest muscle to control and how years ago, I had made the conscious decision not to say a cuss word.

Since I’m human, I’ve messed up several times and said things that I immediately regretted. So, how do you express displeasure or disgust without saying a cuss word?

Mark 11:12-14

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

In Mark, we see that even Jesus could be hangry. When he was hungry, and the fig tree didn’t have any fruit, he caused the tree to wither up and die.

Mark 11:20-21

²⁰ In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

Jesus’s words weren’t tradtional cuss words, but they still showed His displeasure, and the effect was a dead tree.

A couple of weeks ago, my 9-year-old granddaughter was visiting. She and I were in the kitchen, and I can’t remember what happened, but I said, “Dang it.” She immediately said, NEENEE, in that sing-song voice that means you’re in trouble. I looked at her and said, “What? I said, Dang it.” She replied…” Yeah, it’s the same thing.”

And she was right. I hadn’t really quit cussing; I had just changed the words. Dang it, fudge, well shoot, and even sugar had become my replacements for traditional cuss words. I had been so busy patting myself on the back for not cussing that I didn’t recognize that the intent was the same.

I have basically been cussing but in a polite and more acceptable way. Jesus cursed the tree for reasons other than the need for food. He was using the tree to show His disciples the power of putting faith in God.

Mark 11:22-24

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³ “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Words are powerful. Whatever you are cursing, even in a polite manner, could wither and die. So, choose your words wisely, and remember….those around you have big ears, even if they come in a small package.

To God Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!