Court Jesters

(Proverbs 16:13 KJV)  Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

It is possible that speaking the truth will make you the court fool.  I don’t know if it is a fictional notion or real history but some sovereigns are rumored to give the court jester a special charge.  The obvious is to be funny and amuse people.  The not so obvious is to speak the truth to the man on the throne.  He was commanded to say things that would get others banned or beheaded.  I assume it was a frightening position to be in.  What happens if the king is having a bad day?

Any leader worth his salt has a niche for this person.  It is better to have the fool laugh at you than other people of influence. 

So?  I wonder if in a small way it applies to those of us who are not important.  Maybe we all need a person around us who will give us a gentle mocking to bring truth into our lives.  Maybe the mocking needs to be more than gentle.