How do you know that they drank coffee in the Bible? Hebrews! Alright, you might be laughing out loud or rolling your eyes or somewhere in between.
To answer this question plainly: joking itself is not considered a sin, but what we say matters. There must be careful consideration since there are many types of joking, some which are appropriate and some which are not. The question comes in several parts, so let's take a look at them.
One component of joking is humor and on that issue, there's nothing wrong with that. After all, God himself has a sense of humor! Take a look at this article. An earlier post by George also gets into this; check this out! For the most part, jokes are little anecdotes and stories with a punch line.
On the other end, there is a difference between joking and being crude and offensive. I'm not referring to comical or cultural differences; I'm talking about the 'jokes' that tear people down and are used to belittle people. There is a lot of joy in laughing, but there is also a lot of pain in the crass and crudeness the world labels as humor. Is a person who is 'ugly' or 'dumb' really actually a laughing matter? Is it ok to lie just for the sake of getting attention? Besides, you don't know who could take your joke seriously.
Scriptures talk about how slander and filthy language does not fit with our new life in Christ and how we need to get rid of it. Take a look at Colossians 3:1-10. It also talks about how our conversation should always be full of grace in Colossians 4:6. Lastly, in Ephesians 4:29, the things we say should not be unwholesome, but used to build others up.
Just think about these questions when it comes to your jokes:
- Does what you say honour or dishonour God and others?
- We follow Jesus and strive for holiness and being graceful. Does it show in our joking?
- Does what you say build up others or tears them down?
- If your joke is taken seriously, could it be taken as offensive?
[answered by Jon, who loves to laugh and joke]
