One of the most despicable and deplorable acts of one human being to another is to mock or taunt them. Some people have a tendency of getting great satisfaction and joy speaking negatively about a person’s physical appearance. May I caution you as you call people ugly, monkeys, elephants, ball headed, etc., for it is not pleasing to God, nor the victim. There was a time when people would allow you to mock them and think nothing of it, but today is a different day. Beware!  

A mocking expression or mocking behavior indicates that we think someone or something is stupid or inferior. This is according to the Collins English Dictionary.

What a boring and sad world this would be if we all looked alike or acted the same. It is a testimony to the power and creativity of God to make all of us different. Because we are different in our physical appearance does not give us the right or privilege to condemn someone else’s physical appearance.

It is very bothersome to me when I hear someone taunt and mock another person. We should not stoop to the low level of another person who feels the need to speak harshly of another. We should be ashamed and embarrassed being in the presence of someone who has conducted themselves in such a manner.  

I believe we have reached an all-time low when we mock a disabled person as we witnessed in 2016 to a New York Times reporter. It was heartbreaking to hear a candidate for president of the United States to speak with such venom.

In 1 Samuel 16:7, we find these words: But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” After God rejected all of David’s brothers, God reveals the difference between himself and the world when it comes to judging people.    

There is a story in the Bible that always comes to mind when thinking about mocking someone. In 2 Kings 2:23-25 we see how some young men mocked and taunted the prophet, Elisha. “Then he (Elisha) went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead! When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.” 

The Elisha story goes much deeper than what has been written in this paper, but I hope you get the point. Teasing and mocking another person is extremely distasteful and unacceptable unto God.

James 1:26 says, “If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridled not his tongue but deceived his heart, this man’s religion is vain.”               

Human beings can be nasty and mean just like they can be loving and adorable. Mocking and teasing has caused some people to go to the extreme and commit suicide. We never know the impact our insults may have on another person. Our words may be said jokingly, but if we are going to joke or mock another person, just maybe we should look in the mirror at ourselves first.  

We see an extreme case of mockery and humiliation Jesus had to endure in Matthew 27: 27-31: “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.”      

We read that the whole garrison gathered around Jesus. It was not to prevent Him from escaping or to prevent a hostile crowd from attacking Him. it was so as many as possible could witness and get pleasure out of mocking Jesus.    

The Bible makes it clear that we are called to love all people, even those who mistreat us. “But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6: 27-28 

May we see all of our brothers and sisters as being fearfully and wonderfully made, regardless of our differences.

Just my thoughts!

Robert Earl Slade, Pastor