Generally speaking, in current law, people with an impaired mental state/mental incapacity have statutory defences in place to protect them from conviction of certain allegations. Whilst I acknowledge that there are people who genuinely suffer from a mental impairment, it must be distinguished from the type of person this verse is referring to. I believe it’s talking about one who feigns lack of control/sense and aimlessly fires weapons, intending to hurt and kill but uses his apparent mental incapacity as an excuse for his fatal actions.
Deception.
King Solomon likens such deceptive behaviour to a person who carelessly uses his words and actions to hurt those around them and later says “oh I was just kidding” / “Chill, it was just a joke” / “Calm down, don’t you know how to take a joke?”, aiming to wash their hands of such responsibility. I understand though. In today’s plethora of memes, widely championed and accepted use of sarcasm across many cultures, it can be easy to speak the language of ‘humour’ not knowing its repercussions…or perhaps even knowing that it might hurt another and still proceeding to say it for the cheap reward of a few laughs. God beckons us to ‘walk in love as Christ has love us and given Himself for us’.
Paul writes that ‘coarse jesting’, which is the behaviour discussed above, is ‘not fitting’ for those who have come to know Christ.
Can you relate?
Dear Lord,
thank You for words of discipline, conviction and guidance. Thank You for showing us how to love Your image bearers – our brothers and sisters, those around us. I know I have said and done things in order to entertain but at the expense of my loved ones’ feelings. I have spewed out words to hurt out of bitterness but masked it with the pretence of humour and ‘good-naturedness’. Thank You Lord for showing me the damage such jesting produces and for softening my heart through the reality of the cross and sacrifice of my loving Saviour. Lord heal the hearts which ache because of such behaviour & convict the hearts which have become callous because of culture/upbringing/ignorance.
Please continue to mould us to be bearers of Christ’s image.
Love You Lord.
Redeemer's Scribe 