Entertainment comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and forms. It has evolved over the years as new inventions and technology emerges. Back in the day, as the old folks say, what you had in front of you was all that you had, physically, as in goods and services, and mentally, as in knowledge. Therefore, entertainment could have been you entertaining yourself with a game of hide and seek or running through a corn maze which neither requires any external objects nor gadgets. These types of games were played outside, all day, until the sun began to set, with only a break for a drink of lemonade or sweet tea on the front porch, imagine that! The world was much smaller and simpler in every way.
Transportation was not readily available, especially if you did not live in a larger city. Postal services took years to develop into what we have known all our lives. Over a century ago, ‘mail hack’ had an entirely different meaning than what we immediately think of today. A mail hack was how people received their mail. You could sometimes hitch a ride to town and back, with your supplies, if space was available on the ‘mail hack’ which was a mule drawn buggy, for a fee of around one or two dollars, depending on the distance. Fortunately, trains would bring mail from long distances to the larger cities, but the mail hack had to do the rest in their smaller communities. The houses and small towns were spread out and covered a vast area, and could take hours, days, or weeks to reach, therefore, the hack you were on might only be the first in a series of hacks before reaching the destination. J.W. Elmore was named ‘the last of the old mail hack drivers to pass away’ when he died at age 79 in 1932. He drove a mail hack for over 50 years in Tennessee. Some people were born, raised, and died in the same place without leaving their little ‘neck of the woods’. Their world was just a composite of what they could see, hear, smell, touch, and taste, literally in real time. To us it may seem like riding a ‘mail hack’ could be entertainment, that we might find in an ‘old western’ theme park. We may even dress in a cowboy get up and yell a few yeehaws. We would thoroughly enjoy ourselves, have a blast, get some good photos for our Facebook or Instagram content, and then go home. However, to them it was just life.
Now, in today’s world of entertainment we do have considerably more choices. Some people may see scary horror movies, suspense novels or a haunted house as entertainment. They are thrill seekers and become emotionally involved with events, books, or movies. I am not that person. I do not like to be scared, especially for self-inflicted reasons. I do enjoy a good movie, but I believe I would be on the other side of the spectrum. A feel good fiction movie that may give me a good cry, pulling at the heart strings, then letting my experience end on a sappy, lovey, dovey note. Now there may be those intellectuals that would not consider anything entertaining unless they could fully engage their brains. So, for them, you would have mystery novels, movies, documentaries, or escape rooms for example. Some people enjoy a serious drama taken from a real life story, or comedy that will keep them rolling, which could be in the form of a movie, standup comedy, or even a circus. The choices are endless. Whether you like a good cry, laugh, sweaty palms, or brain puzzlers, these would all fall into the category of entertainment.
The Bible does not negate the fact that entertainment has a place in our lives, as it speaks of rest as well. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Laughter and merriment can uplift us and give us a new outlook on life before we must delve back into work, ministry, or life itself and all it brings. The expression we use says, “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy.” There is a place for play in our lives. Psalm 126:2 states, “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.” People can see that you are blessed, content, happy and have joy because they hear your laughter and singing. Nehemiah 8:9-12 shows that there is a time for mirth, “And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. So, the Levites stilled all the people, saying, hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.” The joy of the Lord is our strength.
In the olden days, there was an occupation called ‘court jester.’ According to Mary McMahon, Historical Index researcher and writer, their history goes something like this,
“The tradition of the court jester, a man who would amuse courtiers and monarchs with his antics and jokes, is ancient. Most people associate jesters with medieval and Renaissance Europe, but in fact the practice of retaining a jester or fool goes back beyond the birth of Christ. In the modern era, jesters can still be found, although the official position of a royal jester at court is not often filled.
Many fans of medieval history like to dress up as jesters, celebrating a rich and complex tradition. The jester can also be seen symbolically in many places, including decks of cards, where he is known as the joker. The classic uniform of a court jester includes a tri-pointed floppy hat with bells, and brightly colored uniquely patterned clothing. Many garments in the medieval age were quite bright and even garish by modern standards, but the court jester would have stood out, thanks to the distinctive hat and ringing of bells which accompanied every movement. Some jesters were also gifted with jewelry, beautiful clothing, and other presents in thanks for their services, and they undoubtedly would have worn their gifts to demonstrate their favor. The position of the court jester was actually very complicated.
On the surface, a jester might be taken as a mere buffoon, but he also had to walk a fine line in the court, as he had no official place in the ranks of the court. This allowed jesters to be freer with their opinions, since their words could be considered jokes, but they had to be careful about overstepping their boundaries, as a court jester who went too far could be punished by the monarch. In some cases, people who were disabled took up a position as court jester. The mentally disabled might find a place in medieval society by capering and frolicking at court, thereby relieving their families of a significant burden. Other jesters were trained musicians, actors, or artists, and some of them even became trusted and valued confidants in the court.
Many court jesters were extremely intelligent and sensitive to the political and social trends of their eras. Their skilled entertainments might have included clever or subtle gibes at the enemies of the king, along with commentary on general problems in society. A jester could also purely entertain, of course, with acrobatics, music, silly songs, and many jesters or buffoons did just that during periods of uncertainty and fear.”
These have evolved over the years, and this occupation may now be called a ‘standup comedian’. This is where everyone would buy a ticket specifically to go see one person holding a microphone and telling jokes, in essence entertaining them. These run the gamut and can be clean and wholesome, or foul and vulgar. Another thing we have on a similar vain these days, is something called ‘roasting’. There is a ceremony with hundreds in attendance and maybe thousands or millions watching via some form of media, and the person that is being given an award or being honored will first be ‘roasted’. This is where they poke fun at the person and try to be funny, however, they often cross the line into areas of past mistakes or faults of that person, which can become sarcastic and very unfunny, very quickly. This creates an awkwardness and people begin to squirm, though laughing all the while. The things being discussed and brought up, though funny to one, were just real life, heartaches, and disappointments to the other. Often, people move on because they must, however, this does not mean their life has been easy, they are survivors.
James 3:8 says, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” And Proverbs 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” People in the name of ‘just joking’ can lacerate, obliterate, cut down to size, others in an instant. They can, in just a few words, eradicate the good others see now, and any shred of dignity someone might have, by bringing up the past. Often it is because of their own insecurities and embarrassment that they are lashing out or using sarcasm towards others. They are just looking for a laugh, and often they get laughs, because the audience believes it is said in jest. Often at these ‘roastings’, the comic is just deflecting, trying to hide their own misgivings and failures by calling out the other party, however, some things are just not funny. Abusive behavior, whether physical, emotional, or psychological is real, and is hurtful to the one being faced with it, whether alone or in a crowded building. Slandering others can cause a scarred heart for life.
Whether we have the title of jester or standup comedian or not, we must be mindful not to jest at the expense of others. Ephesians 5:1-5 tells us, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” The same is true with our children. Though we may not believe in spanking a child, a subject for another time, we must be mindful not to break their spirits with our tongues as one would break the spirit of a horse with a whip. Though we must win battles with them and direct their strong will in the right direction, we want them to be confident, feel loved, and give them purpose. Colossians 3:21 says, “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” Do not be an antagonist that will cause them to give up, become a recluse and act like a wounded puppy because they cannot please you and you are having fun at their expense. Your jesting ceases to be funny when someone else is being hurt.
The power of the tongue was demonstrated when in Matthew, Jesus cursed the fig tree, it even shocked the disciples. Matthew 21:17-22 tells of the account, “And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, how soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” This may have been a little harsh, and he may have overreacted because of his hunger as we tend to do as humans, however, the words had gone forth. Thankfully, he turned this into a lesson for us, regarding the connection between our faith and our words. However, this was just a reminder, because God had shown from the creation the power of words when he said in Genesis 1,“Let there be light, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind, and it was so.”
Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18, “…Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” We have heaven backing us up. Hebrews 12:1, speaking of the men and women of faith who have gone before us, stated, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” However, we must not use our liberty and powerto maim others and render them helpless. 1 Peter 2:16says, “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” And we see in Galatians 5:13, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Something that I have always found amazing, and every time I hear it, I say to myself, ‘Surely you jest’! I have never been in a real courthouse for a trial per say, so I get this knowledge strictly from movies, aka entertainment, however, the scenario goes something like this. There is a jury of a dozen well-meaning citizens, who do not really have a choice whether they want to be there or not, because they must appear by law. They have no prior knowledge of the defendant’s life or circumstances, nor the full story of what happened leading up to what they may be accused of doing. They must then piece together everything they are seeing and hearing to come up with ‘the story’ and ‘the verdict’. You also have prosecuting and defending attorneys, and a judge. So, one of the attorneys may be cross examining a witness, and the other attorney will call out, “misleading or leading question, your Honor”, to which the judge may tell that attorney to redirect or may say, “sustained” if he is okay with the line of questioning. Now if the witness has already answered the ‘questionable’ question, the judge will turn to the jury and say, “Strike the last answer you heard from the witness, from the record.” Surely you jest! Does anyone else see the irony and humor in this? Once something is heard, it is heard, and if it is seen, it has been seen. Yes, they may not be able to have it on the written record, however, the jury has been influenced by the remark that was made, like it or not. No matter how many times we may want to ‘eat our words’, they cannot be taken back, therefore, we must be extremely careful what we say. Jesus said in Matthew 12:36, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Be careful what you do and say in public to your family or others, because it will be seen and though you meant it in jest, others could misinterpret the words or actions. Don’t always be the jester, or foolish, saying something nasty or hurtful and think a little giggle will make up for it. Your quick tongue can set hurt, disappointment, and embarrassment in motion. James asks a rhetorical question in James 3:11, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” He says in verse 2, “For in many things we offend all. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” He had already stated the other side of the equation in James 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
There is a time and place for entertainment, joking and goofing around, Ecclesiastes 3:4 states this, “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” However, our approach to life should be sober and thoughtful. Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” There is a time to be serious as well, David said in Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” James 4:8-10 says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
Let us not always try to be the prankster, the joker, or the entertainer wherever we go. Life is not always a party for everyone, so we must endeavor to be sensitive to others. Know the right time and the right place when you jest. Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”