"We must never compromise holiness for the sake of humor." ~ Jean Hickey
Laughter is a good thing. A sign of joy and happiness...a bubbling up in my soul and spilling out, giving me a great stomach work-out, right? But what happens if I'm laughing and another person in the room is in great sadness BECAUSE OF my laughter? What if my laughter and others' laughter is at someone else's expense? Expense of their broken heart...of their security...of their wholeness? What is my laughter then?
We often down-play making fun of others and hide it in "sarcasm"...outrageous things that we would never say to a person when we stand face to face with them, but OK saying those things when we're surrounded by people we want to impress. Here's what Merriam Webster's On-line Dictionary (all definitions in this post are from this dictionary) has to say about sarcasm....
sarcasm
1: a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain
2: a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual Why do we do this? Why do we partake in something that has a synonym of "slap, offense, barb" and then act like those we talk to shouldn't be offended at what we said?
Why do we disrespect or wound others like that?
disrespect
1: to have disrespect for
2: to show or express disrespect or contempt for
With love...we are to treat others with love...not served up with a side of sarcasm.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. ~John 13:34
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ~I Corinthians 13:4-8
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt. ~Colossians 4:6
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. ~James 1:26
honor, homage, reverence, deference mean respect and esteem shown to another. honor may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition <the nomination is an honor>. homage adds the implication of accompanying praise <paying homage to Shakespeare>. reverence implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe <great reverence for my father>. deference implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence <showed no deference to their elders>.
Let's trade in our laughter at others with others in for the joy that God can give us as we bring honor to Him and show love to others through the words we speak. Let's show honor to others and care for their hearts. Let's put aside sarcasm and pick up a cheerful heart...free of barbs and offenses. Let's let others hear about the hope that we have in Jesus and let's let Him fill us with His Spirit...
Prayerfully ask yourself..."Is my humor at the expense of others? Am I showing disrespect to others or to God? Is my joke or talking honoring to God? Am I hiding behind off-colored jokes and snide remarks? If someone hears my sarcasm and does not believe in my Savior, what will I say when I stand before God someday and have to tell Him why that person was turned away from following God because of my hurtful remarks?"
Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine."
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Oh, Dear Lord,
please change us to be like You...
take away these hurtful things that we do
and make us
and our actions
and our words
like You.
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