Nurturing the Motley Within
“‘And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’”
There is a little town in Minnesota named Motley. When people drive through town for the first time, you can often find them laughing as they read the sign with the town’s name. The term “motley” suggests something disorganized or lacking cohesion. My mother used to say I was “a motley looking kid” when my cowlicks made it look like I had been spinning on the top of my head. The etymology of “cowlick” comes from one’s hair looking like “a calf’s hair after being licked by its mother.” I hope my mother was not describing Motley, Minnesota, as a place that looked like a cow licked it!
The term “motley” has a more complex definition. Motley goes back to at least Shakespeare's time. Shakespeare uses the term “motley” in Sonnet 110, where the Bard shares, “Alas, ‘tis true, I have gone here and there, And made myself a motley to the view.” Shakespeare’s play, “As You Like It,” Jaques meets a jester and responds, “A worthy fool! Motley’s the only wear.” According to Wikipedia, “Here, the idea represents the absurdity of a chaotic, flawed world.” Shakespeare uses the jester's motley look to convey profound meaning. Again, Wikipedia informs us, “Because the jester’s colorful attire placed them entirely outside the rigid social and class hierarchies of the Elizabethan era.”
The Bard affirmed the motley jester as free to “speak difficult truths, mock the foolishness of kings, and critique society without fear of punishment.” If Shakespeare had used a respectable character to critique society and the foolishness of the royals, the Bard would have had to focus on the character’s punishment, rather than the societal moral and justice issues. Shakespeare made being motley not only acceptable but a valuable character trait. Often, what society considers ridiculous or unacceptable is the way to new levels of truth and meaning.
People who laugh at the name of the town, Motley, do not see the truth of its value and the goodness of its residents. People who read Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” and skim over the term “motley,” can easily miss the profound meaning and judgment of an entire era. Our Triune God calls us to embrace a motley faith. Like Shakespeare’s jester, we are called to speak difficult truths and mock the foolishness of ignorant rulers, critiquing the injustice of our society. Do not be afraid or embarrassed to play the jester, but see it as an opportunity. Perhaps our inner jester is the means of offering truth in ways that will be heard and understood.
