Mean Isn’t Funny

And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. 1 Samuel 1:6

While on a summer job once during my college years, I worked with an older woman who had a deep raspy voice from years of smoking. I did a pretty good impression of her, which always got laughs from my coworkers. When my boss heard me doing it though – and heard everyone laughing about it – he scolded us like children. That didn’t stop me. I knew he was just a big stick in the mud and so, I just didn’t do it around him anymore. The thing is, I never did the impression of the woman to her face. Why not? Because I knew it was hurtful. I knew she wouldn’t find it funny, and I knew that I’d be ashamed if she witnessed me making fun of her. None of that stopped me from doing it when she and my boss weren’t around though, because it was funny to me. I was a jerk.

Mean, unfortunately, is amusing though – at least to those who’re doing the mocking, if not to those who’re mocked. This is the lesson of today’s passage. In the opening chapter of 1^st Samuel, were told of a man named Elkanah, who had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah was able to bear children and Hannah was not. Elkanah apparently loved Hannah more though, which hurt Peninnah. Hurt people hurt people and so Peninnah taunted Hannah for her inability to have children. This cruelty went on for years, with Peninnah tormenting Hannah incessantly for her infertility. Being mean brought Peninnah pleasure, at the expense of Hannah, who didn’t find it funny at all. To Hannah, mean wasn’t funny.

I’d like to say that I’ve grown up and that I’ve learned this lesson. Looking back, I can see that my impression of that smoker wasn’t nice, and I do feel a little bad about it. It is, however, probably a little early to declare victory over my immaturity. I still find myself mocking others. Last night, I made fun of the appearance of someone on TV, trying to get a laugh from my wife. I know that the person on TV will never know, so where’s the harm? The harm, of course, is to me. As a Christian, I’m supposed to love others with the love Christ has shown me. Would Jesus make fun of that individual? Or would he have compassion for the one whom others mock? On whose side do I want to be? Christ’s side or the side of mockers?  Mean is hurtful to the other person, but, when I do it, it’s also destructive to me.