WHY DO YOU SWEAR AT OTHERS?

People who swear often tend to be disagreeable, critical, cynical, angry, argumentative and unhappy complainers.

WHY DO YOU SWEAR AT OTHERS? WHAT IS SO BAD ABOUT SWEARING?


Please take a moment to examine just what motivates you to swear. Is it to express anger, to get attention, to fit in with others or to appear tough?

Swearing hurts your reputation. Like most people, you probably care about your appearance. You want to make a good impression. But did you know that how you speak can have a greater impact on others than how you look? The fact is, your speech can determine such things as whom you will attract as friends and also the amount of respect you will receive.

It is true often the initial impression people form of us based on our appearance quickly fades when we start talking. You have no way of knowing how many opportunities to make a new friend you might have lost, or how often you alienated someone or lost a degree of respect through your use of foul language. The lesson is clear if your speech is vulgar, youre only hurting yourself.

Swearing shows disrespect for the Creator of speech. Suppose you gave your friend as a gift a shirt or a blouse. How would you feel if you saw your friend using that garment as a rag or a doormat? Think of how our Creator feels, then, when we misuse the gift of speech. Gods Word states: Let all malicious bitterness and anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech be taken away from you along with all badness. Ephesians 4:31.

Theyre not just words. Jesus said: Your words show what is in your heart. (Luke 6:45) Note that what we say doesnt simply reflect the type of person we would like to be it reflects the person we already are. Even if you use bad language simply because others do it, copying their example reveals that you follow after the crowd and that you are not your own person. Exodus 23:2.

But thats not all. Language expert James V. OConnor says: People who swear often tend to be disagreeable, critical, cynical, angry, argumentative and unhappy complainers. For example, those who curse whenever something goes wrong reflect the belief that everything must always go right. It is as if they just cant handle mistakes. On the other hand, OConnor notes, those who dont swear are often calm, mature people who can deal with daily annoyances. Which type of person would you rather be?

First: See the need to change. You likely wont stop swearing until you understand how you will benefit from altering your speech. Second: Figure out whats behind the swearing. Third: Find alternate ways of expressing yourself.