Published 9/15/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
You’re having a great time with your friends on the playground on a warm summer evening. You were bored, so you called them up and told them to meet you there. So far, you’ve played basketball, wall ball, and you just finished finding out who can jump the farthest in the long jump pit.
Everyone has worked up a sweat, so you head off to the drinking fountain. That’s when the guys start telling jokes.
It starts out fairly innocent. That is “knock-knock” jokes and a few others.
“What’s purple and conquered the world?” one guy asks.
“Alexander the Grape,” you say (Dad has told that one before).
“Okay, what’s black and dangerous?” you fire back.
Hmmmmm.
No one has the answer. You’ve stumped them.
“A crow with a machine gun!”
Everyone moans.
“Hey, guys,” Bobby says. “My brother told me a bunch of jokes he heard in junior high.”
He starts telling “jokes” about another race, but he refers to them by using a word you’re not allowed to use.
It’s a stupid joke, but everyone except you cracks up. Another guy starts telling a joke about female body parts. It’s sort of funny, but you feel weird about laughing. Bobby starts in on a few more racial jokes, this time talking about a group of people who come from a different country.
You’ve never heard any of these jokes before. The more they go on, the worse they get.
Questions to Think On
• Do you see any harm in telling “jokes” about other races or jokes that deal with sex?
• What are your choices about what you should do?
• What would happen if you said something and then walked away if they didn’t stop?
• How could you change the subject?
What Does God Have to Say?
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8-7
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:4
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