Mr. Funny Guy

We all know this guy. Mr. Funny Guy is that person who is always cracking jokes. He doesn't care who he hurts as long as what he says makes others laugh. He'll crack a joke at anyone's expense, including his own. He has to be the center of attention.

Christian, you aren't supposed to be this guy. What? Why does it matter? Can't Christians have a little fun? Well, of course they can! I think Christians should be the people who have the most fun! We have so much more to live for than the rest of the world! We should be joyous and be able to have fun. But does that mean we can have fun but can't crack jokes? Of course not, but there was a day when jokes weren't all negative.

There was a day when even worldly comedians didn't swear constantly or talk about vulgar things in order to be funny. They were able to make crowds laugh with outrageous stories and imaginative scenarios. They didn't need to talk about politics, drag anyone's reputation through the mud, curse, or talk about sexual things in order to win the audiences. That's an art form not common among comedians today.

Enough about comedians, what about me? This is where the rubber meets the road. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." So what kind of words do you think the Bible wants us Christians to speak? Pleasant ones of course. How many times have we said things jokingly that really hurt someone? I am the king of this! I am naturally a sarcastic person, and I'm very light-hearted. It's a blessing at times because I can take things in stride, but it's a curse at other times. When it comes to jokes, I can say mean things and not even realize I've done it! We really have to watch what we say. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21 that death and life are in the power of the tongue. We all have heard the awful stories about kids who've killed themselves over something people said about them. We've also heard stories about how someone said the right thing at the right time and changed the course of someone's life for the better!

So, what's important Christian? Is your joke more important than someone else's feelings? There is a way to tell jokes without hurting anyone. I'm not preaching here; I'm just expressing something I've been thinking about and working on myself.

Keep thinking friends,

Simeon Brazzell
I Tim. 1:12