Coarse Jesting

In Ephesians 5:4, Paul speaks of some sins of the tongue that are to be avoided among the holy people of God. Included in the list is what is called “coarse jesting” (NASB). Other versions use similar words or phrases like “jesting”, “coarse joking”, “words said in sport”, or “crude joking”. In our culture, it could refer to things like dirty jokes, crude double entendres, masking hurtful words as humor, and making fun of things that are not joking matters.

It’s the last example that might be the most common because it appears to be the most innocent. It seems that anything is fair game for humor, regardless of whether it is holy or unholy. We make fun of marriage, adultery, and divorce. We joke about someone’s speech and appearance. We laugh about using drugs and alcohol.

But the trouble is, not everyone finds such things funny. I can assure you that those who are having problems in their marriage will find it difficult to laugh about such things. Those who have been through a divorce likely won’t find it as funny as someone else. Someone who struggles with how they speak or how they look may smile on the outside, but be weeping on the inside. Those who have lost a loved one to the ravages of drug and alcohol abuse or experienced it themselves will find it hard to see any humor in it.

No, God isn’t against humor. The Bible tells us that there is “...a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). We are called “...to serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2). But let’s make sure that our joking doesn’t become coarse. Let’s not jest about things that are holy to God. Let’s be very careful about finding humor in things that are destructive to others.

“Two indications of a person’s character are what makes him laugh and what makes him weep” (Warren W. Wiersbe). Let’s be men and women of godly character. Coarse jesting should have no place in the life of a servant of God.

God loves you!
Mike