Funny, but not Mean

I just started reading Revelations of a Single Woman by Connally Gilliam. I thoroughly enjoy reading the story of her life as she strains to see God's hand in all of her circumstances. It makes me try and see how God has used some of the circumstances of my life. One of God's greatest gifts to me, and one He used to teach me so many things, was my mother. She was the best mother I could have had. Of her many sayings, one that often comes to mind when words start flying out of my mouth before I get a chance to filter them is this: "Smarty Smarty had a party. Nobody came but Smarty Smarty." Knowing my tendency to show off my wit, my mom often repeated this saying. The saying goes well with another saying that was often directed to me by a high school leader at church who knew me well. She told me repeatedly that "it is easier to be funny than to be kind." I like to be funny. I do. And I think my friends like it too . . . until it goes too far. That is when I need to remember that it is more important to be kind than to be funny. I often use humor as a way to show kindness, to make a friend laugh, but I need to carefully filter all my words and make sure my lightheartedness fits the occasion.