Transparent Christian Magazine

My brother-in-law had a parrot who cursed fluently. When Esther’s Mom would announce her upcoming visit to see Jim, there would be great concern about what “Polly” would say. Sure enough, Polly would “curse like a sailor” in front of Mom Brown and call her every name in the book.  My Aunt Ethel had a parrot who spoke harsh words of racial prejudice.

How did Polly learn to curse and how did her friend become racially biased? They simply repeated what they heard.

Two days after the election a local fourth grader said to his friends, “Let’s form an assassination club!” The principal was called and talked with the group of boys to find the source of the remark. I’m sure there was conversation with the child’s parents.

Where did that fourth grade boy come up with that concept?  Do you think there is a chance that he heard a similar conversation at home?

I grew up with an expression of “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That statement is as far from being true as the North Pole is from the South Pole.

Please be careful about how you express your political views in front of your children. Your words will be repeated and tragically may be acted out some day!

Here is some good advice from Solomon.

“The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod. The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.” Proverbs 10:11,13,32 New Living Translation

As a boy we sang a little Sunday School song that merely said, “Oh be careful little tongue what you say, Oh be careful little tongue what you say. For the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful little tongue what you say!”