Wondering what the Apostle Paul meant by “foolish talk or jesting,” or as it is in the R.S.V., “silly talk or levity,” I have thought of a few things in modern conversation which could come under that heading, and which we would do well to avoid if we are to obey the command to be separate from the world.
None of us would think of using the names of our Father or His Son in a flippant manner as nearly everyone does nowadays, but many of us use “slang” words without thinking of their origin or why they are used. Words such as “gee,” “by gosh,” or “golly,” “cripes,” and numerous others, have no meaning and are therefor harmless to use we say, hut is that really so?
My mother told me when I was a child that such words were only better sounding substitutes for the Divine Names, and while it had no effect on me then, I believe now it is true. Our Lord told us to let our “nay be nay and our yea, yea,” and I think if Paul were here today, he would tell us to stop using such words. It is all a matter of habit ; I have been trying to practice leaving such words out of my speech, and I seldom find one coming into my mind anymore.
As to what the Apostle meant by levity or jesting, he didn’t mean for us to have long faces and never smile, for he says many times we are to rejoice. However, we are to rejoice in the Lord, which would include rejoicing in each other’s fellowship.
The Lord defined those traits of character which will make us happy or blessed, in the first part of his Sermon on the Mount. So it seems to me that “jesting which is not convenient,” would include taking unholy glee in another’s predicaments, or playing so-called practical jokes on people which are never funny to anyone but the perpetrator. Then there is the off-color joke, but that, surely, is never so much as thought of among us It all comes down to the fact that we must not act as people in darkness, but as people who are in the light, and are showing in every way possible that we are children of light. We are all, or should be, showing the Gospel to others at every opportunity, so we must live in every way so they will see that we practice what we preach.
This brings to mind another habit some of us have that does not fit in with our life in Christ. It is superstition. Of course, as the Apostle Paul said in regard to idolatry, we know that superstition is nothing, but what would a person of the world think if he heard us say, “Knock on wood,” or “Cross your fingers, so it won’t happen?”
I think of the line in a poem, that we should be “saying nothing we don’t want Jesus to hear.” If we could only really realize that he and our Father are listening to us all the time and they know our thoughts before we do, we would be more careful of our speech. “I et no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear.” Eph. 4:29. R.S.V.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One