Magnify! Luke 1:47-55
Preached to Smith Chapel UMC on Sunday, December 12, 2010
Part One
Part Two
What I Didn't Say
Sarcasm--I just listened to my own reading of the Magnificat from the modern day version of the Scripture named "The Message." The first part of that reading actually sounds sarcastic. I'm sure a lot of it was my own tone, but it's easy to see why it could be taken that way. In her position, Mary's words could easily have been those of sarcasm.
When I was in college, I went to one of the women's dorms (we called them girl's dorms in those days without impunity) to visit a friend from my home town. I forget what we were discussing, but I plainly remember her saying to me, "People from Ridgway are so sarcastic!" Ridgway is our home town. Now I don't know if we are (or were) that much more sarcastic than people from other towns, but I do remember we were quite given to sarcasm.
So, when I heard my reading of the Scripture, I realized how sarcastic I can make things sound. I used (and still use) sarcasm as a form of humor. But I've never forgotten my friend's statement of exasperation (spoken over forty years ago now). It just made me think that her appraisal may have been accurate.
A few days ago, a sportscaster pointed to the excitement in Patriot Coach Bill Belichick's voice. Then they played a segment from a recent press conference. As always, his voice was monotone and emotionless. Denise, my bride, questioned why the announcer had made that comment. Everyone else in the room, almost with one voice, said, "He was being sarcastic!"
It drove home the point to me that sarcasm is not as big a part of other peoples' communication habits as it is of mine. It says to me that I should be a little more careful when using sarcasm. That is especially true when writing or typing out my side of conversations. In particular, I've noticed that e-mails don't communicate sarcasm very well. In fact, it often comes across as insulting or at least confusing to the other person.
So...from now on, you need to be a tad more tolerant of what I'm saying and how I'm saying it. [Tee hee...I was just being sarcastic.]
