Eight Days For a Racial Comment

Recently a man from Battle Ground, Washington was sentenced to eight days in jail because he used the N-word in an email. Racial name-calling is always regrettable, but let’s look at the larger picture.

The holy name of God is used in vain endlessly and without a jail sentence or even a rebuff. We hear it at school, on radio and TV, in the workplace and nearly every place people congregate.

Notice how Israel was warned about using God’s name as a byword:

No using the name of GOD, your God, in curses or silly banter; GOD won't put up with the irreverent use of his name. Deuteronomy 6:11 in the Message version.

This is the same God people in our nation pray to for jobs and good weather. How can a person expect God to hear their prayers when they so disregard his name.

Saying, “I didn’t mean anything by it” totally misses the point. He didn’t say “Don’t use my name in vain unless you aren’t going to mean anything by it.”

Let’s change our words to exalt God’s name and plan to never use it as fillers or strengtheners in our everyday conversation.