I hate embarrassment. But I hate embarrassment more for someone else than for myself. I can handle something happening to me that makes me look or feel foolish. But I can’t stand to see someone else’s awkwardness when they’re uncomfortable.
The comedian roasts they do “for fun?” I can’t stand to see someone squirm, so those are a no-go on my tv list. The idea that we can be sarcastic to someone in jest makes me worried that it’s being taken personally and then humiliation ensues. Emily and I were talking about this today…how it’s funny that it doesn’t bother me to be embarrassed but it bothers me when someone else COULD be embarrassed!
This really made me think tonight about my sarcasm. I’m sarcastic by nature. My family loves to throw out one-liners. My kids do it, too, thanks to me. But how do words affect others when I speak them? I know that I feel for others in third- party situations, but how about when I speak them. We often see someone else’s hurts, but do we pay attention to how our own words can hurt others?
We’re reminded in the book of James that our tongue, while a little part of the body, can produce great harm when it’s not tamed. God also tells us many times in the bible that our speech should be glorifying to Him. It’s meant to be seasoned with salt and full of grace (Colossians 4:6). When my sarcasm becomes snotty and rude, it fails the test of glory to God, instead bringing to light my irritation with the question or comment being asked.
I’m going to be praying that I rely heavily on Christ to season my speech. I don’t want to be the person that causes the embarrassment that I hate to see from someone else’s actions.
How about you? Is this an area in which you struggle? Let us know down in the comments how we can pray for you.
~Erin
Iron Porch 