DON'T SCOLD THE SORROWFUL

Resisting the Trial by Snark

Psalm  46:  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Also Hebrews 6:18, "that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us."

I take refuge in the scriptures above.

It is so easy to be a snark. Our mainstream culture in USA 2024 is awash in sarcasm, cynicism and bullying. “Snark” is biting and mean sarcasm, in a large economy size.

I, of a legendary sharp tongue from youth to middle age, have had to learn the very hard way, bad actions seed bad results and those results return to us when we can least handle them. 

I tell you, the ease with which snark can still roll off my tongue even today as a recovering Snarker, is so discouraging.  Temper my tongue, you say?

Yup ( albeit, kicking and screaming…)

I take refuge in the book of Proverbs and a more simultaneously wise and difficult book, you will not find. Read chapter six of Proverbs, including Proverbs 6:2: "thou art snared with the words of thy mouth..."

The sharp-tongued do not suffer fools gladly, you say? Well, yes...but one sage suggestion may be offered from the "Oh, THAT" school of especially hard knocks... at last resort, look in the mirror to find the bullying offender. Well, that face somehow looks familiar…

Deep sad sigh.

"But I like snark and THEY are idiots, morons, stupid fools."

Yes indeed, they may be...but mirror is calling. I have seen myself in that mirror on more than one occasion. I don’t like it one bit!

I used to have a recurring nightmare when I was very young: a huge leather boot kept stomping down, aiming at my face. I was born late, coming in when Mom was three months into her 40th year (wanted by Mom, unwanted by Dad). I was almost always the smallest one in class in elementary school. I was smart and gifted in creative things but not aggressive or athletic. When sudden disaster hit in my early teens (Mom died overnight in 1966, one older brother died in Vietnam two years later, 1968) I began quickly to develop the snark-tongued template and also quickly mastered it.

I have paid a price for that. I repelled the love I wanted, scared people with my intensity, became a cynical loner, aborted my two children in 1973, one after the other, never formally married, fled from "religion" and my Christian roots for many years, finally coming back in disarray and debasement. I fell onto God's lamp-lit porch and He welcomed me back in, even covered in grime. He still tends to the cleaning and healing of my brokenhearted soul. (see Isaiah 61:1, "bind up the brokenhearted”, that Christ does so wonderfully well.)

I don't think some realize the depth of wounds caused by sharp condemnatory words. Verbal bullying creates deep scars. Those scars sometimes don't fully heal and can fester and ramp outwards, bringing negative effects to all layers of your life and sometimes the lives of others, both close and random.   

"You people" and "beyond strange " was the line of condemnation I once received from a bully at an online San Francisco neighborhood website. I was attempting to share what people of modest means endured in living in SF. None had bought houses but ran to survive. This man's take on me and my friends was pure condemnation. There was no empathy, no kindness, no moment of encouragement for another struggling human. I am sad to admit that I still remember his cutting words from long ago.   

As an empath and sensitive soul, I began in youth to form a dagger exterior as a defense. No soft core was displayed, 1/4 inch hair, roaming about San Francisco chasing boys, scorning disapproval, hiding the sadness under boatloads of weeping, marijuana and Excedrin. What a combo! Fifty years and a duodenal ulcer later, these are not good results at all.  

Listen to Holy Spirit's warning! He does not shout, but you do hear His loving nudge of admonition, of warning and exhortation to cast the whole mess on Him and seek His genuine love and counsel and comfort. He knows things you do not.

I have learned to never play poker or chess with God, He is the Master!

In despair, fling your sorrowful self into the arms of Jesus Christ, Who knows every scrap you have been through and advocates for you and loves you. Ask forgiveness (repent!) and ask Him to guide you in good paths, step by step by step! He is the King of Kings and the Warrior of all warriors! He allowed the Head Snarks (the Romans and some of the Pharisees) to arrest Him, savagely beat Him, force Him to endure an unfair "trial", force Him to carry a heavy Cross and be nailed to that Cross, bearing the darkness of every human ever born. He, Who had no sin, bore it all for us. Fortunately for us, He was raised from the dead and sits in Heaven today at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us! It actually does work on a day by day basis, as incredible as that sounds. We will spend Eternity with Him and the Heavenly gang when God calls us Home. I look forward to that day.

Snark was defeated by the One of innocence and purity.

Wendy Elizabeth Williams

April 13, 2024