The Book of Proverbs is a gold mine of wisdom and another gem is found in chapter 26v18: “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbour and says, ‘I was only joking!” Teasing is part and parcel of how we interact with each other and is normally given and taken in good spirit. However, there is a line we must not cross which is when teasing becomes hurtful and untrue.
When this happens and we are reprimanded our natural response is “I am only joking”, but the damage is already done. Peoples’ reputation, self-esteem and mental health are permanently affected and as our verse tells us we are like maniacs when we speak mischief and excuse it as just “in jest”. What might be “fun” or “jest” to us is “flaming arrows of death” to the other person – in fact we are bullying by pretending to be comedians. We should notice that some people can cope with jesting better than others so we cannot just shoot these arrows randomly. Ironically just like bullies don’t like being bullied so jokers take offence at being joked about.
Jesus told us to do to others what you would have them do to you.
In conclusion “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 4v29)
No more “shooting flaming arrows” guys!!
God Bless
Graeme Greenwood