Ernie Johnson

The studio commentators covering the NBA Playoffs for TNT have been using comments they receive from viewers via Twitter to spark some witty conversations. Before the Monday, May 15 Game 7 between Boston and Washington, one viewer comment started off by using the name “Jesus” as a swear word. Remarkably, no one on the TNT crew edited the tweet, and it appeared in its entirety on the television screen.

Ernie Johnson, the studio host, was given the task of reading the tweets on air. To his credit, Johnson, a devout Christian, omitted the offensive use of the Lord’s name as he read the message.

What do we take away from this?

First, we see how far our culture has fallen morally—to see that someone would send such a message to be read on the air, and that the message would actually make it to our television screen. That never would have happened in years past.

Second, we notice that some people, like Johnson, still revere the name of Jesus and refuse to misuse it in any way. (See the Third Commandment for more on this.)

Finally, those who do misuse the name of Jesus in this manner inadvertently point out his Deity. No one swears by the name of Buddha or Mohammed or any other religious leader. It is the name of Jesus that has the power.

There truly is something about that name!

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”—Exodus 20:7.