Truth in Love

I have to admit at times I can have a very sharp tongue. Sometimes the sarcasm just flows out of my mouth so quickly and easily, it is amazing! Stupid people really get my sarcasm flowing. Some of my favorites quips of sarcasm are, “I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong,” “If I were any better there would need to be two of me,” and one of my most favorite ones is “I talk to myself because sometimes I just need some intelligent conversation.” To be completely honest I kind of love sarcasm. I understand that it may not be the most proper or civilized trait, and I fully recognize that I’m often too sarcastic for my own good. Often times my sarcasm is just unfiltered truth. Sometimes when I see someone doing something really stupid I point out their flaws rather than treating them with respect and helping them correct what may have been an honest mistake. So is sarcasm a sin? Scripture doesn’t explicitly say that it is, so we can’t make that claim. However sarcasm is often rooted in sinfulness and therefore used to increase sin, rather than increase holiness. 

Proverbs 26:18-19 ESV Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, I am only joking!

This might be the closest thing to a clear example of sarcasm being condemned in the Bible. What is described here in Proverbs 26 goes against what Jesus said in Matthew 5 about just talking in a trustworthy way, with integrity and honesty.

Matthew 5:37 ESV Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. 

Let your yes be yes, means that you should say what you mean. It’s that simple. However sometimes the truth can be hurtful! Christians often talk about the need to speak the truth in love, a command found Ephesians.

 Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body is joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 

Truth may give you the message you need to share, but love gives you the method! Many times the truth I need to share is difficult, however when the truth is shared in a gentle, kind, inoffensive manner it will be more likely to be listened to or even accepted. From a practical standpoint, we know that difficult things are best heard when our defenses are not up. In a loving, non-threatening environment, hard truths are more readily received. By the grace of God, my sinful sarcastic tendencies have been confronted many times over. If yours have, don’t despair. There’s grace for the sarcastic. Christ died while we were yet joking, jabbing, and laughing at others. He came to pardon our prideful, mocking, and rebellious hearts. He made a way for us to be restored to fellowship with the Father when we deserved punishment and hell. In light of eternity, choosing to encourage and lift a soul is infinitely more valuable than my sharp tongue will ever be! God’s unmerited grace through Christ leads me to repentance when my sarcasm goes too far. It compels me to apologize when my words cut deep. So the next time you feel the need to be sarcastic do you best to bridal that sharp tongue. Your words are more powerful than your may ever know on this side of eternity!