Why I Don’t Worry About Jinxes

Have you ever felt nervous about causing bad things to happen by mentioning a run of “good luck?”

Have you kept quiet about  how glad you feel that you haven’t had car problems in six months, or no one in your home has gotten a cold this winter?

This is another anti-biblical cultural paradigm that has crept into our thinking. I’ll bet I’ve heard the phrase at least twice a week lately, sometimes from Christians.

“I don’t want to talk about (my hope, dream or blessing) in case I jinx it.”

Really?

Recently, I read through the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). In the middle of lots of detailed instructions and moral codes, one thing rings out clearly: God expects his people to live differently than others around them.

In light of that, let’s take a closer look at this notion of jinx.

Webster’s dictionary defines “jinx” as someone or something that causes bad luck; also : a state or period of bad luck caused by a jinx. The word may have originated as an alteration of “jynx wryneck,” from the use of wrynecks in witchcraft. Synonyms include hex or hoodoo.

Hmmm … doesn’t exactly sound like something Christians should aspire to practicing, does it?

Yet I understand the temptation all too well. I have often been guilty of staying silent about what God has done in my life — just in case mentioning it aloud causes the other shoe to drop.

Why do I fear that verbally counting my blessings will somehow derail them? Why do I fall for superstitious thinking?

There’s an insidious, fear-mongering voice whispering thoughts into my ears. It’s the voice of the enemy of God and his people. And I can’t afford to make the mistake of ignoring it.

I have to recognize who is tempting me, and deliberately shut out the lies he utters.

The devil works very hard to keep believers quiet about God’s protection and provision and favor. He’s happy to use common superstition to do so.

Why is this so important to him?

Because he knows something we often forget. He knows we overcome by the word of our testimony.

God created everything by speaking it into existence (Genesis 1). He created human beings in his own image. Although that image is presently flawed and broken in us, there is still great power in what we speak.

It’s kind of ironic, really. If we fall for this notion of jinx, then we are acting on the belief that our words have power for negative outcomes. Yet we ignore the fact that our words have power to create positive outcomes!

One of the most wonderful ways we can use our lips is to bring praise to our Father God. He deserves to hear us tell of his greatness and magnify his name — and we benefit by doing it.

^“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” — Hebrews 13:15

Praise is an act of faith. It flies in the face of common superstition and honors God for his goodness. Praise means talking about how kind God is as he keeps our car running and keeps sickness out of our home.

Praise is the overflow of a trusting heart.

If I allow superstition to muzzle my lips, I fail to demonstrate trust in God. So I’m learning to catch myself when I hear common sayings like this jinx business.

I don’t want to use my mouth to pass along superstition.

I want my words to bear good fruit.

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