Don't cuss! That's one typical childhood interpretation of the Third Commandment. Of course, we shouldn't mix God's name in with a string of nasty language. However, the use of naughty words isn't the primary meaning of "Do not use the Lord your God's name as if it were of no significance."

One purpose of the Third Commandment is to stress the importance of keeping promises and telling the truth, epscially when using God's name. Think about the oath witnesses take in the American court system. They swear to "Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." We need to be able to believe each other to function in society.

The Ten Commandments give us guidance for living together. The Third Commandment, reminds us that integrity matters. When you're known as a Christian, others see your speech and actions as a reflection of your character--and God's. Despite good intentions, we sometimes break the Third Commandment unintentionally. This type of violation happens when heartbreaking life events such as a cancer diasnosis and the death of a child are attributed to God's will. In these scenarios, we're using God's name in ways that are inconsistent with God's character.

Pastor Mia reminds us that representing God well in our daily lives is not optional. Think about what you say and what you do. Your words and actions can color God's reputation.

This week, Pastor Mia shares the final lessons learned during a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. In pilgrimage, the journey is the point and the destination matters. The Gospel of James teaches us this wisdom, telling us to stand firm and be patient as we wait for the coming of the Lord.

There is a correlation between backpacking on a physical trail and the spiritual journey. After walking mile after mile on a trail, exhaustion sets in. Spiritual life is like that too. We want it to be thrilling. We want to put forth our best selves in faith. However, when there is no excitement and we’ve grown tired, spiritual life becomes a matter of simply showing up. In other words, stay on the trail and keep on walking.

As you near the end of the journey, you may finally realize your pack is too heavy. Instead of leaving behind the things you didn’t need, you kept them. Spiritual life is similar. We each have spiritual baggage we continue to carry, until we take the time to examine it and get rid of what we don’t need.

On a journey, the exhaustion is real. Stand firm. Stay on the trail and keep on walking. And long the way, be filled with joy as you reach the end of one journey and begin another.

Every year thousands of pilgrims travel the Camino de Santiago, a route in Spain that leads to the burial site of St. James. This week, Pastor Mia explains how walking a path such as the Camino is a reflection of the spiritual journey. By making a physical journey we learn that our way is made by others.

The Camino de Santiago was built by others. Some people dedicated their lives to developing the route. Others posted signs marking the route for pilgrims. Others laid pavers to show which way to walk when there was a fork in the road. And others built stone bridges for crossing streams and rivers.

Like those others who made the way for pilgrims to travel the Camino, others made the way for our spiritual life. Today we have Scriptures, because our our ancestors in faith wrote about their experiences with God. Traditions, including Sunday worship and communion, were also handed down by our spiritual ancestors. And the prophets set the example of being faithful even under pressure.

There are others who make our way in faith. Who made the way for you? And how are you making the way of faith for those who follow?