Joking, Kidding or Coarse Jesting

Joking, Kidding, or Coarse Jesting?

To joke or not to joke...ah, that is the question. Are you a joker? What I mean is, are you prone to joke or poke fun at other people? Do you have a tendency to point out characteristics which other people possess? If so, maybe you should ask yourself, "why? Why do I tend to or need to make comments that are at the expense of others?"

I find it very helpful and necessary to ask myself this question from time to time. In part because, all too often, I find myself the target of such comments, and also because I find myself hyper-aware of this tendency towarding "poking fun" when other people are doing it...and even when they are not.

Hopefully, at this point, you aren't thinking, "O, brother, what's the big deal?" Whether or not you are, let me share "the big deal." The big deal is L-O-V-E. The even bigger deal is we are ALL made in the image and likeness of a Holy, Holy, Holy God!!

"...neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." NKJV "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving..." ESV "Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect." The Message1

What is the point and does it matter? After all we ought to be able to take a little joking and jesting -- right? On the one hand maybe, yes, and on the other hand maybe, no. God's Word is clear that we speak gracefully to one another, that thanksgiving be our dialet.

After all, what is coarse jesting? Coarseness is "without fineness or refinement, rudely, inelegantly, meanly, uncivilly, without art or polish"...and a jest is "a witty saying, the object of laughter or sport, one given to sarcasm...jesting is talking for diversion or merriment."2

"...I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak," 3

Let it be said of us that the Lord is our passion....and with that being said and true...

"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...Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift."4 Stephanie Paul is Director of Women's Addiction Recovery Ministries at America's KESWICK

1 Ephesians 5:4 2 www.dictionary.com 3 Matthew 12:36 4 Ephesians 4:29 ESV and The Message