Proverbs 10:23-24, Sin – No Laughing Matter!
April 30, Proverbs 10:23-24
Luke 16:19-31 “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2).
Sin – No Laughing Matter!
Jerry Clower entertains audiences with his rural Mississippi brand of humour. Once after people had laughed uproariously at some of his humour, he suddenly became serious and said, “There’s one place where there isn’t any laughter, and that’s hell.” No laughter in hell! Here is a comedian reminding us of this fact. Yet millions go gleefully on, ignoring all the warnings. Evidently they think God is too loving to punish anyone. Yet, it was Jesus Himself who spoke of the furnace of fire, of weeping, and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:42).
1. A Show of Corruption: It is as sport to a fool to do mischief. This has a contemporary ring to it! We hear this perverted sentiment expressed daily. It is a sign of maturity. We are throwing-off the old, bad restraints. The word mischief (zimmah) is no trivial matter. It was no innocent sport. It includes the evil thoughts of men and their wicked plans. Other places where this word appears in the OT., the context is of sexual abuses (lewdness-Jud. 20:6; Jer. 11:15; Ez. 16:58). This fool delights in perverted sex and keeps the purveyors of pornography busy. This mischief includes all forms of sin. Words like disgusting, obscene, and immoral, apply, and the end is not yet in sight in this Sodom and Gomorrah age. There are no sins barred from his sport. The more often cautioned or warned about the coming judgment, the more he jests and flaunts his sinful actions.
2. A Sign of Conviction: It is as sport to a fool. Sport means laughter, but it is the laughter of derision that is meant here. It is short-lived comedy! Sin is no laughing matter, and such sport only parades a public cover-up of a lurking private fear that there may be hell to pay at the end of the day. Fools vainly try to laugh away the convictions of conscience, but not so the man of understanding. He acts with wisdom. Such mischief to him is no sporting matter for he fears God (Acts 2:43). It is too grave a thing for laughter. Some suggest that the contrast here is that while the fool makes a sport of sin, the man of understanding makes wisdom his sport or laughter. This answers the charge that the godly are killjoys. The man of understanding proves his wisdom with genuine joy (Ps. 126:1-3).
3. A Share of Compassion: This wisdom far from being dull edifies, blesses, and admonishes because this is no short-lived comedy here. Bridges cautions against indulging our wit or humour at the expense of our neighbour. Then he adds: “Young people cannot be too strongly disciplined to thoughtfulness and consideration of others.” Was not this the concern shown to others by our Lord? Paul said, Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill law of Christ (Gal. 6:2; Phil. 2:3-4). He was ever considerate and sympathizing, and so should every one of his followers (Lu. 7:13). He wept over sinning Jerusalem because He saw that their awful Day of Judgment was near.
Thought: In the light of Calvary, none can make sin a jest.
Prayer: Let the mind that was in Christ Jesus be also in me more and more.