In This World

Diamonds in the Dust.   J.E. Tada

There are people around you for whom misery is a way of life. The world has enough misery of its own without Christians adding to it. We are to be in this world, not of it. 

Oh, sinful creatures. One can always reflect on things one said or did and cringe, realizing that it was not helpful, spreading the Word (ha! most assuredly not), nor the least bit encouraging. One can as easily reflect on things done and said to one's self that also were not helpful, filled with the Word, nor encouraging.
Ours is a world of destruction. Both physical and emotional. 
I enjoy classic films (1920s-1950s), and books of classic or "older" publications (also similar era as the films)...and the standard plot is of people being ruthless with one another. It is the height of fashion to destroy someone, considered amusing. I admit that I laugh at such antics. It is proof that generation after generation takes delight in the misery of others.
I enjoy banter, teasing others...yet there is such great risk in this, as the banter and teasing can become real, or too close to a hard subject. Really...while I am hardly a great one at avoiding a good "funny", it would be best to not banter and tease thusly.

I cannot say that I think that God considers such things honorable. I have yet to find a verse in the Word condoning tormenting someone with even teasing.
How then do we be in the world, yet not of it? 
I think for certain that our best chance to not be a misery-monger, nor be arrogantly superior in the fact we are a "Christian", is to further develop our relationship with God. The deeper we know Him, the more we are unnaturally distant to the world. The more we squirm at the actions of ourselves when faced with an opportunity to torment. 
Laughter is a good thing, I am sure...it is a full, open outpouring of joy. Yet consider this: there is a difference in a girl laughing at the boy who slipped a ring on her ring finger with the fullness of joy in love...and the laughter at the way someone's sentence turned out. Laughter is a good thing---but let us be most certainly careful in what we say, do, and think, that we may be spared from spreading more misery, and, worst of all, shaming God with our actions.