Just Kidding!

I grew up in a very 'witty' family.  I was the baby of the family with one older brother and two older sisters, and even now as I write this, I'm smiling.  We were all very clever, humorous, amusing, and quick to see who could come up with the fastest, most funny response to any given situation.  I have wonderful memories of us all sitting around the dinner table or a campfire.  Eating a meal, playing a board game, or attending a family reunion, we always had a very lively conversation with plenty of laughter.  But every once in a while, our wittiness could turn to sarcasm.  Our playful, clever, fun, just turned into friendly fire.  A quick jab.  Truth or criticism spoken in a jovial tone.  We all knew when our conversations turned in the wrong direction for three very apparent reasons:
1-Our Mom would holler from the next room and she would say, "Ok you guys, that's enough!"
Or,
2-The person who spoke that first jab, would laugh and then say, "I'm just kidding!"
And,
3-Nobody was laughing.
If you have to say, "I'm just kidding,"  guess what?  You just crossed the line from friendly banter to friendly fire, and friendly fire still wounds the target.
Even God's Word tells us that.
Proverbs 19:18,19 compares such talk with a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death!
Verse 18 says- As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
Verse 19-So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
I'm all for having witty fun, but I pray I will never have to tell someone that "I was just kidding!"
But that's just me!

Keep your words soft and sweet in case you have to eat them-Amish Proverb