Reflections on Verbal Violence, Name Calling, and Jesus’ Teachings About Purity
Recently, I came across a news article. It described a female commentator’s deep disappointment with how the President repeatedly uses harsh words. He calls female journalists “obnoxious,” “terrible,” “stupid,” “nasty,” “ugly,” “insubordinate,” and even “piggy.” What really struck me was not just the words themselves. I was concerned that such language, when used by someone in authority, can become “normalized” in society. As a minister, this issue reminds me of a powerful truth from Scripture. Our words have a lasting impact. They affect not just others but also our own spiritual health.
Verbal Violence and Name Calling: More Than Just Words
Insulting people and name-calling seem like small things, even funny at times but their effects run deep. When we use words to tear others down, we engage in what the Bible calls “defilement.” It’s not just about hurting feelings—words can shape attitudes, influence behavior, and even change the culture around us. When leaders use insults publicly, it can make others think such behavior is acceptable. But the Bible calls us to a higher standard. It reminds us that our words reveal the true state of our hearts.
What Does the Bible Say About Defilement?
In Scripture, the idea of being “defiled” means to be made impure or unclean. The Old Testament focused heavily on ritual purity—following specific rules and performing ceremonies to be clean before God. For example, touching a dead body or eating certain foods required special cleansing rituals. These rules taught people about the seriousness of approaching God with respect and purity.
Jesus’ Radical Shift: It’s What Comes Out That Matters
Jesus changed the conversation around purity and defilement. He taught that it’s not just what we touch or eat that makes us unclean. It is what comes out of our mouths—our words and actions—that makes us unclean. In Matthew 15:11, Jesus says: “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man. What comes out of the mouth defiles a man.” And in Mark 7:20-23, He goes further: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. Evil thoughts come from within, out of a person’s heart. These include sexual immorality, theft, murder, and adultery. Other thoughts include greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
From Rituals to the Heart: What Really Matters
The shift that Jesus introduced was profound: external rituals aren’t enough. We can wash our hands, eat the right foods, and follow religious traditions. Still, if our hearts are full of anger, pride, or hatred, we’re missing the point. The real measure of our spiritual health is found in the character and motivations within us.
The Heart: Source of Good and Evil
According to Jesus, the heart is where everything starts—our thoughts, desires, intentions, and actions. If our hearts are filled with bitterness or contempt, those attitudes will show up in our words and behaviors. The Bible often uses the heart as a symbol for our inner selves. It signifies the place of our will, emotions, and conscience. A pure heart leads to a pure life; a corrupt heart leads us astray.
Spiritual Implications: Purity, Humility, and Transformation
Jesus’ teaching challenges us to pursue purity of heart, not just outward conformity. It also calls us to humility—we’re all prone to inner corruption and in need of God’s grace. True spiritual transformation is a work that God does within us. It changes our hearts so that our words and actions show love. Our words and actions also show compassion and goodness.
Conclusion: Let’s Guard Our Words and Hearts
What we say matters. Our words have the power to build up or tear down, to heal or to harm. When insults and name-calling become normalized, especially by those in authority, it can erode the moral fabric of our communities. As followers of Christ, let’s heed His teaching. Focus not just on outward appearances. Cultivate hearts that are humble, honest, and open to God’s transforming work. In doing so, we show the purity that truly draws us closer to God. This happens not through rituals alone, but through lives made clean from the inside out.
Minister A Francine Green
December 2025
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