Words

At Sunday school this week the teacher (who is also the pastor and also our next door neighbor) shared how his wife hate hearing people use words that describe God apply to other things.  His example was "holy cow!" Every time she hears that phrase, she says, "There's nothing holy about a cow!"

And  she's right. I had never given this any thought before. As Drew and I were discussing it at dinner last night, he said the same thought had cross his mind as well. 

Some definitions of holy from  Merriam-webster are


1: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness

2: divine

3: devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity

4a : having a divine quality b : venerated as or as if sacred
 
She's right. There's nothing holy about a cow!  Makes me think about how I use words.   It also brings to mind Ephesians 4:29: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (encouraging), that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
 
I need to remember it's not just people who are listening to what I'm saying, but also the Lord.  Words that describe Him should be used with the same reverence we feel towards Him.