Cleave

I was reading D&C 63 today, and I want to share my thoughts on one verse in particular: D&C 63:61.

"Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips--"

This is the Savior speaking, and it reminded me of how often I hear His name taken in vain every day.  On campus, in movies, at grocery stores...it's happening everywhere, and I wish I could just shake people and say to stop it, because they apparently don't know what they are doing.  If they knew, if they truly understood, I doubt they would continue using His name so easily as they do.  And there are far too many people and far too many lips using His name inappropriately.

I remember a story (maybe I read it in an email...my citations are clear for this story) in which an old man with terrible wounds was rushed into a hospital (let's say he jumped in front of a bus to save a girl--heroic and deadly) and it didn't look like he'd make it through the night, and as one of the men on the ER staff is rushing beside the gurney, the ER guy lets out this profanity.  The old man grabs his arm and says softly to the ER man, "Why do you take my Lord's name in vain?  He is so precious to me," (or he says something to that effect).  The ER man was taken aback.  It wasn't something he thought about as profanity, and it wasn't something he really cared about because he wasn't Christian, but the old man was so distressed by this that he gained a new respect for things sacred to other people.  The ER man said, "I'm sorry."

I didn't give the story justice, so just trust me that it was really heart-touching when I heard it.  I don't have a problem with taking the Lord's name in vain, but I hope that I can build the tact and courage it would take to stand up and say something to those people who do have a problem with it.

Choose to Cleave
*Read my first post, "Preface," for more information about Cleaving