For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
-1 Corinthians 4:9-13
Hey all! Shay here. Guest blogging on Greg’s blog again. I have an interesting story for you from last weekend:
I was invited to guest host a local improv comedy show on Friday. What this means is I stand up and share stories and between each story the players do a series of short skits based on material from my stories. This show generally features artists, authors, poets, musicians, local politicians, radio DJs and other similarly known personalities. As a youth pastor I was immediately confused at the proposition that I should host this show, but I agreed.
I prepared several humorous anecdotes about some kids in my youth group and even a few about when I was in youth group growing up. As the show began, I slowly realized what I had gotten myself into. I had hoped that my beliefs and values would not be exploited or ridiculed and that the material for their show would come from the wacky antics of teenagers rather than from the religious setting in which these antics took place. I was wrong. After the first set of scenes, I didn’t know what I could possibly do to redeem the show. The scenes involved an angry Jesus who cussed kids out, people wiping their private parts with cake and then feeding it to others, a demon bird, drilling holes in Bibles for fun, a lot of sex, a lot of random cussing, and a lot more potentially offensive material that I cannot recall right now. It seemed as if the Church, Christianity, and Christ were quickly becoming fodder for cheap jokes and bitter ridicule.
I have spent a lot of time reflecting on that evening since then and have a few thoughts on the situation. I love comedy. I think good humor is better than most things in life. I love laughing and having fun and witty conversation and good jokes. However, as with most good things, humor and laughter can be twisted into something harmful or degrading. C.S. Lewis addresses this concept when he identifies several different types of laughter: joy, fun, ‘the joke proper’, satire (or mockery), and flippancy.
With improv, the challenge is to avoid the easy way out. The easy way is flippancy and a close second is exaggerated satire. In the world of acting this is known as ‘going blue.’ Crude and vulgar content is often used in place of wit, good satire, observant jokes, fun, and joy. In the show there was a lot of mockery, satire, and flippancy. And this is where the conversation begins. Paul warns us of the worse part of satire and all of flippancy when he writes, “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving (Eph. 5:4).”
Standing on the line between the Kingdom and the World, I could have seen myself as being too sensitive and prudish and taking the whole thing a bit too personally, but at intermission and after the show a couple of the players came up to me and apologized and said they would try harder to keep the show “clean.” I even got an email later that night from the friend who asked me to host the show but couldn’t actually be there that night. He apologized because he heard the show was very raunchy and crude.
Sure, I could have been offended and angered because I was invited as a guest and then not treated with respect. I could have been upset that the things I care about were mocked and the values I hold were disregarded. I could have puffed my chest out and declared that my God and I did not deserve to be treated that way. But I don’t think this is the attitude or mindset Christ would want me to take.
If you read the letters of Paul carefully and have some understanding of the language and culture of drama and spectacle of Paul’s time you can start to see a very specific message about the image we as Christians should take in the world. One key passage is found in Corinthians: “We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ (1 Cor. 4:9-10).” In Paul’s letters, he makes a comparison between Christ on the cross and the spectacle of being the buffoon like ‘fool’ character in the theater productions of his time or those who were sent into the arenas to be humiliated and killed.
We are called to “have same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had” as Paul writes in the Philippians hymn: “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be exploited, rather, he made himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by being obedient to death, even death on a cross (Phli. 2:5-8)!”
Instead of seeing this evening as a humiliating waste of time, I have come to see it as being an opportunity to live the humble gospel out with joy. The actors and the audience have a new perspective on Christian leaders because I was willing to go into their world and sit among them. I showed them I can have fun and be gracious even in the face of obvious ridicule. Nothing I did or said was condoning their behavior, but nothing I did or said condemned them, either. I even ended the night with a brief summary of my sermon for the following Sunday and an invitation for them to join me for worship. I made a few new friends and hopefully opened some eyes to what it means to follow Christ.
What would you have done in my situation? What are your thoughts on playing the ‘fool for Christ’? How do we as the Church fail to accept the role as ‘Christ’s fool’ and instead join the world in their image game?
July 23, 2008 at 12:29 am
Without being there it is hard to say, but I am confused, Shay. Are the people who were doing all the stuff you note in the section that begins, “angry Jesus…” Christians or people joking about Christian stuff?
I think I would have been terribly sad and disappointed, but also seen an opportunity to share Christ. I would have shared my point of view and would have prayed to do so with grace, love and boldness.
Christ and Christians are no strangers to ridicule. We are called to meekness and humility, but that does not mean laying down like a rug (not saying that is what you did because I wasn’t there). I do wonder if you are questioning your reaction or lack there of. Would you do it differently if you had the chance? I wonder.
Perhaps these people need to hear the beauty of the Gospel and transformed life. I would like to meet them…that would give them a chance to see another fool.
Why are you guest blogging, anyway? Why don’t you do one of your own? It would be a blessing.
July 23, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Shay,
I am sure that your reactions are somewhat tied up in your hesitancy to even walk into that environment, so I admire your courage for doing so.
The way I look at it is that the mockery and poor humor that marked that show would have been there regardless of whether or not you were. By your presence you added the elements of grace and truth to the show, which is no small feat.
That may not be a great environment to share the Gospel, but you did anyways, through your words and attitude. Thanks for sharing this story with us.
July 23, 2008 at 12:24 pm
They were not Christians. As far as I know, I was one of three Christians in the audience that night. There
was not much of a place for discussion in the format that was presented. I had the floor for 2-3 minutes between each set to share the next story and then I was able to speak to the actors afterward.
I am not questioning my response. I am comfortable with that. I guess my questions are: What does it mean to take on the role of the fool? How far do we go to defend the honor of our King and where do we accept that he chose to be a foolish servant? Which identity do we promote to the world? (I have thoughts, I just want to hear others.)
I don’t blog because I feel like I have plenty of venues through which to share my thoughts, insights, questions, etc. Occasionally, Greg asks me to blog about something we’ve talked about and I am willing and excited to do so. I also am not disciplined enough to blog regularly.
July 23, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I don’t think we need to search out the role of the fool, as I define the fool. I would define the role of the fool as someone who seeks to be mocked. But, certainly a faithful life seeking Christ will make us appear to be fools to the world. Paul talks about that a lot in 1 Corinthians.
Following Christ will lead us to places where we will endure ridicule or abuse, but enduring those things is not the value of the situation. The courage to follow Christ no matter where he leads us is the value.
To defend Christ against poor humor is to degrade Christ. The Gospel is not of such trivial stature as to be defended against those who use the lowest form of interaction. They have already devalued themselves by doing so. You did the right thing in that situation by somewhat dismissing the humor and move beyond and above it by sharing the truth.
July 23, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Paul is certainly not talking about someone seeking to be mocked.
The value is Jesus himself not anything we get (positive or negative) as a result of knowing him.
It seems the Gospel doesn’t need to be defended. We are called to share it not defend. God has already won.
July 23, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I didn’t mean to say that we seek the role of the fool, but that when it comes to us, we accept it and take it on, in the same way that we take on the burden of the cross. It is ridiculous to seek being a fool for the sake of being a fool just as it is ridiculous to seek suffering and persecution just because we are called to suffer. Clearly, the role of fool, servant, and co-sufferers with Christ come only as bi-products of faithful adherence to the Law of Love. This is exactly what Paul spells out in 1 Cor. 4.
Greg, I wasn’t trying to be dismissive of their humor. It holds power and influence. Physical and political oppression is rarely effective without a good dose of mockery and humiliation. For example, in American slavery, the power of the slaveholders and traders came as much in the public spectacle of the slaves as they were auctioned off like animals as it was in their brute force. The public image and spectacle is a force that should not be overlooked. But the response to that power also should not be overlooked. (Read ‘Domination and the Arts of Resistance’ by James C. Scott for more on public spectacle and power dynamics)
Maggie, you are right in saying we don’t have to defend the image of God, but the question remains: what image are we sharing, the suffering servant that was turned to a fool or the King of Kings who reigns forever in eternal glory?
July 24, 2008 at 3:34 am
How could you in good conscience, continue to walk on stage time after time and listen to the ridicule and desecration of mine and your Savior. It was totally intolerable for you to commit such an act of disrespect and you will be held accountable on judgement day.
July 24, 2008 at 3:41 am
One more comment:
After the first indication of unfavorable satire and actions, you should have had the backbone to withdraw from the program and show that you meant business when it comes to living a holy life that does not involve garbage and trash. You are just contributing to the falling away of the church by condoning the practices of which you were a part. It’s all black and white. No gray! What a wimp! You need a lot of prayer! I hope that you will not let yourself be subjected to such filth again.
July 24, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Hey Carmen,
Thanks for joining the conversation. As I study the life and ministry of Jesus as a model for my own life and ministry, I see him spending most of his time with the lost and ‘sinful’. While with these folk, he didn’t pass judgment on them or rant about the evils in their lives. Instead, he offered love and healing, friendship and hope, life and respect. Only after loving and befriending them did he give the gentle command to go and sin no more.
The rants, raves, and condemnation dealt out by Jesus was reserved for the religious elite, the Pharisees and Sadducees who sat comfortably in their own self-righteousness hypocritically passing judgment on others.
For those who make no claim to Christ there can be no expectation of holiness since “If Christ is in you your spirit is alive because of righteousness (Rom 8:10 among many others).”
Which is more effective in communicating God’s grace and Truth: humble love in the face of obvious mockery and offense or loud angry protest, condemnation and unwillingness to have a conversation? (The answer is the first one.)
I also believe that it would have taken a lot less courage to not step on stage again and leave. Where’s the challenge in that? What makes that more courageous? As I sat there watching the show, I wrestled with how to best love them and witness to them and I struggled to find the courage to step back on stage. In the end I was able to share the story of Jesus washing Judas’ feet, a scripture that, in hindsight, I find appropriate for the situation.
Peace.
July 24, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Carmen,
Thanks for stopping by and engaging in the conversation.
There are some important questions I am drawing from your comments. If we find ourselves in a situation where the Gospel is attacked do we make a better show of who we are in Christ by walking away, by defending our faith or by simply showing grace and enduring. Those categories aren’t mutually exclusive nor define the whole of our response, but the highlight our choices.
I think Shay went about it in the right way.
One thing, however, Carmen is that I don’t think the way in which you talk about Shay and his response to this situation is very appropriate. I wouldn’t want to talk to a non-Christian that way and certainly can’t think of it being a productive way of discussing an issue as Christians.
I do appreciate your input and I am appreciate for you passion for Christ.