Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Not a scoffer ~

For some reason the word scoffer has been in my brain for the past couple of weeks.

A "scoffer" is defined as someone who makes fun of someone or something or mocks someone or something, usually about religious or moral values. The definition of "to scoff" is to express scorn or derision or content. (https://www.google.com/search?q=define+scoffer)

Strong word! Not a good thing to do.

I think that I'm thinking about this word because of seeing it being done in so many places. Commercials, especially political commercials about opponents of a political figure. Comedians routinely do this and because it's so outrageous people laugh, but I don't think they understand or even care about the damage that they do to the someone that they scoff at or even the damage to their own lives as they scoff.

I remember the word scoffer from Psalm 1 in the Bible. Psalm 1 says that a man is blessed when he does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly or stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers. (https://www.bible.com/bible/97/PSA.1.MSG)

Sometimes I have to pause and not express an opinion about something that I really don't need to have an opinion about. Sports teams and outcomes, certain products that I don't ever see myself using, and stuff like that. People standing on the side of the road. People that walk by in a store or that I see in a parking lot. Other drivers, especially other drivers.

I don't need to have an opinion about any of those people. There is no need for me to scoff and express derision and scorn about them or toward them. Not very loving or Christian if I do that.

I try to take delight in the law of the Lord. I take a lot more delight in the teachings of Jesus who said to "love your neighbor like you love yourself". And "to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength".

So I try hard not to scoff at things. In today's society that's becoming more and more challenging.