Lord or Curse Word?

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Searcy, Arkansas to pick up all of my daughter's dorm room decor and move her home from college for the summer. After loading it all in a minivan and having a late breakfast, we headed back to Indiana on a the nine-hour drive that was required by the task. She drove her own car, so I was left to drive alone. Along the way, I passed a semi with an interesting statement plastered all over the rear and the sides of the trailer. It read: "Jesus Christ is Lord not a curse word."

My first reaction was to agree with the second part of the statement. We've all heard it many times. Someone gets angry or frustrated and one of the common phrases that they spew out is, "Jesus Christ, why'd you do that?" or "Jesus Christ, that ticks me off." Or, they may even connect "Jesus Christ" with something even more graphic. I definitely think that this is inappropriate and offensive. Ultimately, it is disrespectful to Jesus himself.

However, then I was struck with another thought. I wondered how many of us would truly agree with the first part. Is Jesus Christ the Lord? I'm sure that many people who are not particularly interested in spiritual issues, or don't make Christianity an important part of their lives would readily admit that He is not their Lord. However, what about those of us who do claim Christianity? We say that Jesus is the Lord. We give lip-service to the concept. But, do we really mean it?

We like Jesus as the "savior." We love him as the "Son of God." Have we really thought about what it means for Him to be the Lord? Here is the definition from the dictionary: a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler. If we really believe this; if we really mean this; if this is true in our lives, then it would have to be evident in how we live. If we mean this, then it would be reflected in our priorities, in our language, in how we spend our time, and in how we treat others.

"Jesus Christ is Lord not a curse word"

Is this true in your life? I wonder how true it is in mine. I hope to make it more true with every passing opportunity.