Can There Be Inappropriate Scripture?

So we were in the van driving to church this week and the older two kids, one eleven year old girl and one eight year old boy, were reading off a bunch of scriptures. There did not seem to be any pattern, reason or rhyme to what they were reading and it soon became apparent that they were simply picking verses at random. My wife informed me that they were looking for a verse to memorize for Sunday school. They had not been previously assigned one so they simply needed to pick one for themselves. Naturally they were searching for very short verses that they could memorize quickly. All well and good, right?

That’s about the time I hear my son recite this verse:

No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute.
Deuteronomy 23:17

My wife and I looked at each other for a silent moment. Hmm.

“Hey, son. Why don’t you pick another verse”, said I.

“Why Daddy?”

“Well, that verse will most likely bring up some questions in Sunday school that your teacher may not want to address on Sunday morning.”

I then returned to driving with a smile on my face trying not to dissolve into laughter. Oh boy. So instead, Aubrey and I picked this verse for them to memorize which has turned out to be a good family verse.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29