I WAS JUST KIDDING

Proverbs 26:18,19 - "As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows and death, so is the man that deceiveth his neighbor and saith 'Am not I in sport ("I was only joking" - New Living Translation)?'"

Ephesians 5:3,4 - "...let it not be once named among you...neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting: which are not convenient..."

filthiness = Greek "aischrotes" = obscenity, vulgar/indecent conversation
foolish talking = Greek "morologia" = senseless, "stupid" chatter
jesting = Greek "eutrapelia" = quick-witted scorn or ridicule

Years ago as a pastor, I preached this message; and it created quite a debate among the members of the church, as to just how far can a Christian go in saying things in fun that ordinarily would be offensive.

"You're so big that when you hang your shirt out to dry, people think someone is holding a tent meeting."

"Well, you're so old that you were a waitress at the Last Supper."

I actually heard that exchange between two ministers...and yes, I laughed. Down through the years of my life, I have engaged in humor that, if spoken outside of humor, would have been hurtful.

The question is: does saying hurtful things become OK just because we add the disclaimer "Oh, I was just kidding"?

The Holy Ghost in Proverbs 26 gives the picture of an insane person on the loose with dangerous weapons in their hands. They certainly may not mean to hurt anyone - but hurt someone they certainly will! Regardless of innocent intentions, hurtful talk hurts - always! Insulting and degrading jokes, IN GOD"S EYES, have no place among those who aspire to imitate Him!

Ephesians 5:1 - "Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God, as dear children."
Ephesians 5:2 - "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us..."
Ephesians 5:3 - "...as becometh saints (holy ones)"

Bottom Line: we are holy ones, governed by the love of Christ, who seek to imitate our dear Father! Coarse jesting is ranked in the same category as fornication and uncleanness and is not to be "once named among you" - it is not to exist in our ranks!

Ephesians 5:14 - "...Awake thou that sleepest..."

A sleeping person is alive; but they are unaware...especially of any danger that may be lurking nearby. When Christians engage in the wordly behavior mentioned in our texts (including low-grade humor), they begin to "go to sleep" and to become unaware of what is really important.

Most certainly Christians can and should laugh - but on the high level of "...IN THE LORD"...not in the lowlands of mockery and scorn, hurting beloved fellow saints and possibly becoming a stumbling block to their faith! We are EDIFIERS - and we are to "redeem the time" for edifying one another, agrressively strengthening, exhorting and encouraging one another to the fullness of Christ!

Even if no one's feelings are hurt, scornful ridicule is a waste of "redeemed" time!

Colossians 4:6 - "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt..."

It is our responsibility to accustom our conversations with themes and tones of God's grace, the full scope of God's unmerited-yet-aggressive favor in Jesus Christ. His grace in our words will be like salt to food - it makes the food both wholesome and palatable!

And let that grace first make "palatable" our own thoughts, feelings and opinions - long before those thoughts, feelings and opinions come out of our mouth! Let grace be real and "believable" to our own hearts, about our own selves first; then it will come more natural to spread that grace to one another, rather than spread the corrupting bacteria of a dirty or distasteful joke!