Sarcasm

“Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here’s what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he’s asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.” 1 Peter 3:8-12 MSG

Sarcasm - the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

First of all I need to apologize to every single person that I ever was sarcastic to.

How many times do you find yourself verbally playing volleyball with someone? Someone would say something and you quickly return it over the net. And sometimes there would be a spike, from which they cannot recover. It felt wonderful throwing our witty remarks back and forth. Harmless, right?

Ephesians 4:29 ESV Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 26:18-19 NLT“Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”” 

Do you use sarcasm when speaking to others to get a laugh? Is it at the expense of someone else? This can make folks feel very uncomfortable and not want to be around people like that.

Do you laugh at that behavior as a learning behavior to stay out of the hot seat? Do you laugh on the outside but cringe inside, because you do not want to be the next target?

“Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.” Ephesians 5:4 NLT

Sarcasm excludes - Sarcasm does not unify - Sarcasm can hurt.

It is so much the words as it was how it is said. There’s a little bite to sarcasm. As if the person saying it is angry. It makes some uncomfortable. The thing is, you may not be aware of this, just wrapped up in yourself and the fun you are having. Sarcasm can hurt. Words can injure.

Sarcasm feeds pride.

You have to admit it, when you get a stinger in, you feel higher than your sparring partner. Zinging a person is not loving. And pride is the opposite of humility.

But being sarcastic is being childish; it’s how immature people behave, not what mature Christians do. It’s not what mature adults should want to aspire to. Being a mature Christian is what we should strive for, heck we should all strive just to be mature.

So what do you think is honoring to God? Considering the feelings of others, where you are equal to the one you’re interacting with, or beating someone at the word game?

The question is - what should we strive for in our communication with others? We live in a hurting world. Our desire is to draw others to God. Maybe if we don’t conform to the world, but instead we show grace, the world may notice something different about us.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 -Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Our words are meant to build others up, to encourage and edify.  Sarcasm does the opposite. It puts down and belittles others.

Proverbs 15:4 -The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

God is changing us into the image of his Son. One day we will be like Jesus. God wants us to display the fruit of the Spirit.  One fruit is kindness, another is gentleness. Sarcasm is neither kind nor gentle.

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Maybe we could be known as those who satisfy souls and are a source of healing. And wouldn’t that be good? The next time you are ready to use sarcasm, ask yourself this question: Would I say this if Jesus were in the room?