Funny Sayings
Funny Thing #3
I Peter 3:7 ESV
John 8:1-10 (Woman caught in adultery)
John 8:7 NLT
John 8:10-11 NLT
Respect and having respect is NOT highly overrated despite the fact that a certain comedian based a major part of his reputation on not having respect.
He was known for his one ‘liners’ and his body language and facial expressions.
One line from one of his routines was very funny because of the way he delivered the line.
It went like this: “I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her.”—Rodney Dangerfield
It didn’t matter whether the audience agreed with his statement, they laughed because of his body language and his facial expressions.
It was funny.
When I heard the line I remembered how one line can create a chain reaction.
In a similar but very different way, Peter created a chain reaction in I Peter 3:7 when he said, “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”
I don’t know about you, but Peter’s last phrase hit me like a truck.
When I recently read it, I thought…whoa, back up the truck!
Live with your wives in an understanding way.
Show them honor allowing them to be who God created them to be.
Wives are heirs with their spouse in the grace of life.
DO THIS so your prayers may not be hindered.
To reverse it…your prayers will be hindered if you forget to live with your wives in an understanding way.
Your prayers will be hindered if you do not show them honor.
Your prayers will be hindered if you do not receive your wife as co-heir in the grace of life.
Sooo back to the body language and facial expression from our funny saying. Focus on the body language and facial expression.
In college I took a class in communication (my major) where we were challenged to focus on movement and expression. I learned that even if the words are not spoken, our body language and facial expression tell a story.
I think every time someone encountered Jesus a major part of the story was told by his body language and his facial expressions. Jesus didn’t just love with words. He engaged others with His whole being. His expression of love made them feel loved.
Take the woman accused of adultery (John 8:1-10). Jesus’ quiet manner with the woman and her accusers caught them all off guard. In John 8:7 Jesus said to the accusers, “let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
Then Jesus spoke briefly to the woman in John 8:10-11 we learn, “Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
I believe that when Jesus spoke to the woman He leaned in and he looked into her soul. He really looked at her. He engaged her.
He defended her.
He loved her.
He forgave her.
At the same time he didn’t shame the men who wanted to stone her. He simply reminded them not one of them was without sin.
Jesus’ dealing with all of them was done with clarity and in love. Heart to heart he spoke to them all.
And so it is with us. Our words can be useless If we approach each other with no intention of engaging them with our eyes, a hand movement in their direction, and a genuine tone in our voice. If we do not go in love, we miss the point.
Back to our funny saying. I don’t think the comedian was disrespecting his wife. He could simply have been telling the truth. If his wife was an extreme extrovert and a ‘talker’ he really did not want to interrupt her.
It made me laugh out loud because I’ve heard him talk about his wife (he has a series of wife jokes). What the comedian did was engage the audience with his mannerisms, his voice inflection, and his body language.
He gave us laughter (which I really appreciate).
I’d love to have heard the conversation in heaven when God created laughter. It was really important to God because He even made the result of laughter part of our brain chemistry. He made it so it helps and heals our hurts.
Spiritual Practice: Laugh
Find something to watch or read that makes you laugh out loud. Remember that God created laughter for you.
In God, Deborah
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