A friend asked what my thoughts were about Christians with potty mouths. I know one thing for sure, it's a hard habit to break! More and more we deal with foul language being the normal for a lot of people. But its been frowned upon in church circles for a long time. Think about it for a minute. Do you want to hear your pastor sharing God's Word and the next time you see him or her, they are using language that you'd expect to hear from a non-believer? When you imagine that scenario in your mind, it seems a little off. It seems that way because it is wrong. Placing the Christian ethics aside for a minute, I want to show you what a potty mouth does to the brain.
Words can change your brain. Medical journals are full of studies that prove the power of negative words. When foul language is used, there are areas in the brain that are put on alarm. The brain begins to release neurotransmitters (chemicals), that cause stress to its normal healthy activity. This can cause impairment to decision making, cause irritability, disrupt a good night's rest, effect your appetite, and increase the risk of depression. And our brains seem to remember the negative far more than we remember the positive. Guess what foul language does to the listener...it creates anxiety and unhappiness. There is a reason it's referred to as "foul". Positive language creates happiness, builds motivation and lowers stress levels. It literally tells your brain to love itself. And it radiates to those you are working and serving with.
As a Christ follower, we are reminded in scripture to watch our words. Proverbs 21:23- Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. If that feels too hard for you to do right now, I encourage you to pray about it. You might be already praying about it, and that's great! I believe many of us are hindered in ministry and our professional lives because we feel like the habit is too hard to break or we've reached the point of desensitization that we no longer care. God is calling us higher.