Bad words continued..

I had a friend come to me the other day who was concerned about her 12 year old son saying the word "freakin'". "That is so freakin'cool" and "What are you freakin' doing?"

Is the word really that bad. I put it in a category with darnit and stupid and crap. Not really that bad. Well my mother had other ideas.

I had to ask my mom, 20 some years later, why she really washed my mouth out with soap for saying the word crap. I really didn't feel that word deemed such a punishment. I can remember her holding my chin very tightly and squeezing the liquid soap onto my tongue and I almost gagging. I can't even remember why I said it or in what context I said the word. I didn't have a habit of saying bad words. All I remebered was the punishment. She didn't tell my why at the time.

Now she told me that it wasn't the word you said it was your attitude and the way you said it. . I can see that. There are words like freakin' , whatever, Stupid and hate that may not be appropriate words to say. They can be funny in some contexts and hurtful in others.

Kids use these words to be cool sometimes and I don't really think about it much. I may say something to my kids like "that's not a nice word" but that's all I do if they aren't being disrespectful. My job is to teach them to think about what they say before they say it. If someone's feelings may be hurt don't say it. Have fun with your friends and laugh with them not at them. I also have to realize that boys have a totally different way of relating than girls. Guys rip on each other and that seems more encouraging to them than a kind word. I never really understood that, but its something I've come to accept.

Every situation is different and words are words. It's how and why we say them that really matters. Glorify God in all you do and say! That is good advice I need to be reminded of often.