Sarcasm and Christian Leaders

Sarcasm can be a problem for Christian leaders. Rather than sarcastic wounders, God wants Christian leaders to be gentle encouragers. Lord, help me to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to persevere -- in listening to what's on their hearts; in hoping and praying for their true (Christ-centered) hearts’ desires; in working with them in ministry. Rather than grieving you with my sarcasm, help me to "encourage" you, Jesus. Help me to persevere -- in listening to what's on your heart; in hoping and praying for your heart's desires; in working with you in ministry.

Sarcasm is a cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound. (American Heritage Dictionary)

• "Let your gentleness be evident to all..." (Phillipians 4:5)

Sarcasm is sneering, jesting, or mocking a person, situation or thing …(Wikipedia)

• "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers." (Psalm 1:1)
  
• "The proud and arrogant man - 'Mocker' is his name; he behaves with overweening pride." (Proverbs 21:24)
  

Use of sarcasm is sometimes viewed as an expression of concealed anger or annoyance. (Wikipedia)

• "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32)
  
• "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult." (Proverbs 12:16)
  

I would also say that sarcasm is witty language that dishonors and tears others down.

• "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." (Romans 12:10)
  
• "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Some questions to ask about sarcasm:

When am I sarcastic? With whom? What do I get out of it? (If I didn't get something out of it, I probably wouldn't do it) What is it like to give sarcasm? What does it feel like? (eg. am I hurting; do I feel bitter and cynical; do I feel vindicated; do I feel stimulated?) What does it look like? What does it sound like? Do I remind myself of someone I know or have known?

Some possible causes of sarcasm:

• Concealed anger or annoyance.
  
• Peer pressure. Sarcasm is part of the culture of guys - especially in comedies and among athletes.
  
• Status, pride. A great sarcastic remark is often rewarded by positive reinforcement by others - Man, that was a good one! Sarcasm can also be a way to get in the last word. Having the last word is a way to feed or at least try to salvage the ego.
  
• Retaliation, response in kind.
  
• Past hurts. Wounded people wound people.
  
• Smoke screen, a diversionary tactic. Sarcasm can be a way to force an end to an interchange that is not going the way I want it to.
  
• ADD. People with ADD need stimulation (Ritalin is a stimulant). In a way, those of us with ADD sometimes "self-medicate" by provoking others in order to stir things up and stimulate ourselves when we are bored or tired.

Rather than witty wounders, God calls us to build others up by encouraging them. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thes. 5:11) Barnabas is a great example of encouragement. When Paul first attempted to join the disciples, he was accepted because Barnabas interceded for him. Barnabas was also the one willing to give a second chance to a real loser by partnering with him in ministry. Undoubtedly, Barnabas mentored and built up John Mark as he ministered with him.

• "When he [Paul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him , and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus." (Acts 9:26-27)
  
• "Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement)," Acts (4:36)
  
• "Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord." (Acts 15:36-40)

Liminal Space for the Christian

"Psychologists call 'liminal space,' a place where boundaries dissolve a little and we stand there, on the threshold, getting ourselves ready to move across the limits of what we were into what we are to be…Victor Turner introduced the concept of 'liminal space': a space of transformation between phases of separation and reincorporation. It represents a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state." (From "Liminal Space – Definition" at http://parole.aporee.org/work/index.php3?char=l)


I know of no thinning of the boundary between life in the flesh (what we were) and life in Christ (what we are to be). There is no getting ready that will enable us to move across this boundary on our own. There is only Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Perhaps liminal space for the Christian is any situation that allows us to encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him. In this sense, all space is liminal space. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)


We get another sense of liminal space if we focus on the idea of readiness. "And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:3-4) I believe that readiness for the kingdom of God consists in humbling ourselves before God and man. It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes us truly ready for our encounter with Jesus. Our part in readying ourselves is only to humbly acknowledge and accept Jesus' death and resurrection for us, and his lordship over us.There is also a sense of liminal space characterized by a childlike love and trust whereby the follower abandons himself into the arms of Jesus. It is the self-abandoned follower whom Jesus catches to himself and moves from life in the flesh to life in himself. "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23)


Finally, within the liminal space of self-abandonment, there is a sense of liminal space that is created by waiting and listening for the Good who is outside of us. “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…” (Psalm 37:7) “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10)


With respect to external matters, all space is liminal space for us. This means that we can encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him at any time, in any place - no matter how badly we have failed him and others in the past, no matter how badly we are set to deal with the future. With respect to internal matters, liminal space consists in self-abandonment – a humbling of ourselves; one could even say a humiliation of ourselves (giving up on finding any bit of good in our fleshly selves, we die to our fleshly selves). We abandon ourselves to the power and goodness of Jesus Christ. Finally, there is the liminal space of stillness before God. This is a stillness of trust with an expectation of goodness. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)


One more thought. Perhaps liminal space is the Christian believer himself or herself. The Christian believer’s heart is the dwelling place of Christ. Within our hearts, the boundary between acting in the old self and acting in the new self is very “thin.” It is a choice which is enabled by Jesus Christ. By his presence, Jesus creates this “liminal space” in our hearts, and invites us to abandon ourselves, trust him, and choose as he directs us to choose – life in and through him…again and again and again.


In any case, "a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state" (marriage, a new job, loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of health), constitutes a kind of liminal space in that during such times we are more likely to turn to Jesus than during ordinary times.