Over the years, America's verbal sport of choice has become sarcasm. Even though no official trophy is awarded, you are declared a "winner" by making others feel like a fool. Most often, it is done by throwing verbal spears behind the deceptive shield of a laugh and words that say "I'm just kidding." As you know, the participants in the sport are heralded as witty, smart and just plain funny. And strangely enough, the recipients have learned to laugh it all off, for that's much easier than revealing the hidden scars of rejection and insecurity left in the wake of the verbal lashing.

Does that sound all too familiar? More than likely it does. Some youth pastors I know have mastered this sport. And, unfortunately, there are times I am a competitor myself. So, to remind our students and ourselves not to leave scars for the sake of a laugh, in this issue of the Source, "Scar-casm," we use a couple of fun videos, a drama, a website and a play on words to make a powerful Proverbs 18:21 point, our tongues really do have "the power of life and death."

Weighing my words,