MEAN JOKES AREN'T FUN

It can be fun to play jokes on people -- to hide something where they can't find it, or tell them a silly story and try to make them believe it. Kids are great at jokes!

Not all jokes are fun, though. Playing a mean trick on someone can hurt their feelings -- and in this week's Gospel (Matthew 22:15-21), a trick played on Jesus could have even sent Him to jail!

Jokes are good fun when the person you're playing the joke on doesn't mind. Lots of kids will just laugh, because they play tricks on other people. Even Jesus had a good sense of humor, so He probably loved playing jokes with the Apostles!

When a joke is mean, though, it isn't funny. Some kids play mean tricks like tripping someone or telling a lie that's hurtful, and those jokes shouldn't make anyone laugh.

The people in the Gospel story were playing a mean trick like that. They didn't like Jesus, so they tried to get Him in trouble by tricking Him into saying they should break the law -- that they shouldn't pay taxes.

If you play mean tricks, you're the one who has to stop. But if you're like Jesus, and a mean joke is played on you, the best way to deal with it is to make the jokers see they're being silly.

Jesus solved His problem by showing the people some coins and saying, "If Caesar's picture is on them, give them back to him!" Sometimes, the meanest tricks have simple answers!

(10-17-02) [[In-content Ad]]