Please No More Corny Jokes!

For the last week I’ve been posting a lot of corny jokes on social media. I mean – A LOT.

I’m sure it’s caused some to unfollow or mute me. That’s fine – it’s your right to do so. Heaven knows I mute and unfollow enough of you. 😉

I’ve even hear a lot of people gripe and complain about the groaners. Yup – some of them are pretty bad…. No, wait – they’re all terrific, you just need to work on your sense of humor!

But I decided last week to be intentional about putting out a healthy dose (yes, I suppose the amount is debatable) of corny jokes. Last week I reached a near breaking point seeing “Christian” people go bananas, posting things filled with anger and venom. It was enough to make me ask, “Why am I even here?” I thought, “There’s gotta be something better we can do with social media than squabble and tear people down.” The Bible says:

If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (James 3:3-6)

The Apostle Paul also writes:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

No, corny jokes aren’t really honorable or just, but I think we can find a bigger principle at play in these passages. The stuff that comes out of our mouths (or social media posts, in this case) should be better than the crud we often see. I’d rather be known for corny jokes than for spewing angry and venomous rants about others. I want to dwell on praiseworthy and excellent things (and some of those jokes have been really excellent!).

So, for the time being, the corny jokes will continue. I’m sure I’ll reach a point where I just cannot do one more corny joke, but I want my contribution to social media to be one of laughter and delight, not anger and darkness.