Recently our pre-teen boys were briefly in the presence of some young males whose conversation was saturated with variations of the f-word. Maybe not every second or third word but more than once per sentence (or sentence fragment). We exited the situation as quickly as possible. Perhaps I should have said something to those folks but we chose to simply leave.
Within a few days I was on the phone complaining about that language. Of course, the boys were nearby and heard me. Then they were trying to figure out what the f-word was.
I know they’ve heard it. I’ve been around when it was screamed in their presence – at least the older one. Sadly, I’ve said it a few times. They have both said it. They’ve both been talked to about the need to use appropriate words and that one isn’t. They’ve even been swatted on the hiney to help them remember not to use it.
But today …. The only f-words they could come up with were “frickin” (which is close enough and not allowed either) and “Frankenstein.” I loved it. I laughed to myself. I thought, “Whew! They didn’t hear nearly as much as I did.”
And then I wondered ……
As we sincerely confess our sins,
As we more often make choices to use language that is kind,
As we pray for our young ones to grow closer to Jesus,
As they themselves desire to be more like Jesus,
Is it possible that the Creator of the Universe puts a little bit of a filter on their ears?
Whether it was a spiritual filter or the boys were simply paying attention to other things, I don’t really care. I do care that God used this to remind me that no matter what is going on around me, I can choose not to be submerged in it nor saturated by it nor suffocated by it. The God who cleanses us from sin can also protect us from it.
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me – Psalm 3:3 ESV
#bgwww21
Wondering, Wandering, and Writing 
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