Believers in Jesus can grow to be more like Him as He helps and guides us. We need to develop a good reputation for Christ!

 

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 

~Matthew 5:16

Believers in Jesus can grow to be more like Him as He helps and guides us. We need to develop a good reputation for Christ! This is one of my pet peeves too, about people using foul language and swearing. I think it is appalling and disrespectful for people to speak this way.  So many swear today and they use the f-bomb every other word out of their mouths. I just think it shows no respect and makes you have a bad reputation when you swear. We should not use foul language. There really is no room for it. Anyone who does, shows no education or God in them when they do. We are called to be more like Jesus, to follow, imitate, and reflect Him. To be like Him, not swearing or using foul language. I liked what the pray from Our Daily Bread said below that they sent to me. My parents were good about not swearing, my mom was a saint of sorts, she was so clean mouthed. I guess it rubbed off on me. 

Our Daily Bread  daily prayer had a story that touched me, they said, "During his college days at Florida State University, Charlie Ward was a two-sport student athlete. In 1993, the young quarterback won the Heisman Trophy as the country’s best college American football player, and he also starred on the basketball team. During a pregame talk one day, his basketball coach used some foul language as he talked to his players. He noticed that Charlie “wasn’t comfortable,” and said, “Charlie, what’s up?” Ward said, “Coach, you know, Coach Bowden [the football coach] doesn’t use that kind of language, and he gets us to play awfully hard.” Charlie’s Christlike character allowed him to gently speak to his basketball coach about this issue. In fact, the coach told a reporter: “It’s almost as if there was an angel looking at you” when he talked to Charlie. A good reputation with unbelievers and a faithful witness for Christ are hard to maintain. But at the same time, believers in Jesus can grow to be more like Him as He helps and guides us. In Titus 2, younger men, and by extension all believers, are called to “be self-controlled” (v. 6) and to “show integrity . . . and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned” (vv. 7-8). When we live that way in Christ’s strength, we’ll not only honor Him but also build a good reputation. Then as God provides the wisdom we need, people will have reason to hear what we say."

A lot of people speak this way today and swear a lot, using such foul language. As if that will make things better or allow them to win at life or a game or sport. It only brings shame on them, no honor, it hurts their reputation and it is offensive, people of God do not want to hear this foul language, not in public, on TV, or anywhere they go. Some use it and a lot. Others never swear. We have even heard it from the presidents and elected, they really shame and hurt themselves. This Bible verse and pray from Our Daily Bread are a great reminder of how we need to live and behave, it is also about our very reputation. May we ask Jesus to guide us to develop a good reputation for Christ! Let your light shine upon others with love!