Nice Words
Good Morning,
One of the changes that has occurred in the last few decades is the softening of words. Most readers think all words should be nice, and we should never say anything that might hurt someone’s feelings or embarrass them. This thinking has been so strong in our culture that most of you reading this believe it is wrong to call a name or risk offending someone.
Most of you know that fifty years ago and further back, children were told by public school teachers, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” None of us enjoy being mocked, and none of us like any of the verbal ridicule that comes with life. But there is another side of this whole scenario that we lose when we forbid any pointed words. Let us refer to the Scripture to clarify.
Titus 1:12 “The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”
vs. 13 “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;”
Paul calls out one cultural group. What a racist! He also levels verbal accusations and points out lifestyle weaknesses. Today, folks would argue that all of them could not be evil beasts. “Why catalogue all the same?” He also instructed the local pastor to rebuke them sharply; they were liars, evil, and lazy, and they were to be pointed out and rebuked.
Paul also used some name calling with civic leaders.
Acts 23:3 “Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall…”
Likewise, Jesus used some “unkind names.”
Matthew 23:27 “…hypocrites! …whited sepulchres … full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”
vs. 28 “…full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
vs. 33 “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
Pointed preaching and blunt comments are not unscriptural in the least. The use of name-calling was certainly not against biblical principles.
Likewise, calling out personal names is not uncommon in the Word of God.
2 Timothy 4:14 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:”
1 Timothy 1:20 “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan…”
Philippians 4:2 “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.”
Men and women alike were called out by name and corrected for their errors.
Many Christians warn that we should never use the term fool. Interestingly enough, Jesus, Paul, and God Himself used it.
Luke 24:25 “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:"
Galatians 3:1 “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,”
1 Corinthians 15:36 “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:”
Paul said these Galatians were fools and bewitched, those words were not “nice.” The point is, nice is highly overrated, and truth is severely underrated. The American culture has so softened vocabulary and relationships that no one can be blunt, clear, or use illustrations to embellish our statements. Name-calling for the sake of making a point was common from the playground to dealing with the coach in high-school sports.
The masculine part of American culture has been refreshed by our president and his willingness to say what he thinks. There should not be a fear in a parent, boss, coach, or drill instructor when it comes to blunt, verbal correction of those under their leadership.
God called Moab his washpot. Job used many descriptive words and phrases to point out how evil his friends had become.
It is almost as if most of America is more offended by blunt and unkind words than they are lies and corruption. May we not follow this foolish perspective regarding public relationships.
When considering national leaders, truth must be lifted up. If some leader use some words you think are rude or unkind, remember that you are not looking for a Sunday school teacher for your children, you are looking for someone to help run a country.
I am not endorsing vulgarity; I am simply saying that nice should not be rated higher than truth. If dad uses words or expressions that mom might not use, remember, he is not mom.
Remember Titus 1:12 “… liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”
Pastor