Serious Humor

I love to laugh. It is good medicine. In fact, I believe that it is one of the most readily available ways to "be healed" from a tough day, a hard week, or even a difficult year.

One of the things that I have noticed is that when I try to be funny, I am usually not. There is a kind of natural humor that comes with just being transparent and honest. When I am not concerned about protecting my ego I find that humor is a blessing to me and to others. Canned jokes often go over like a lead balloon but a story that reveals my humanity and presents the joy of living life with family and friends who love you, even when you look foolish, is received with big smiles and often genuine laughter.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Joy is the serious business of heaven." I love that line.

There are things that you can talk about that are very serious and important matters, that are communicated much more effectively when presented in partnership with humor.

I have watched people burst out in joyous laughter and a few minutes later they are so touched by something serious that tears flow down their cheeks.

I love the scenes in Genesis where Abraham and Sarah laughed when God told them they would have a baby. They were both old and beyond the normal years of having kids. It was a moment of serious humor - who would not laugh at such an idea! At the same time, they were called to trust God in a way that was truly amazing and they did! (Gen. 17:17; 18:11-15)

Thank God for the gift of laughter - gracious humor - that can help us deal with some of the most serious things of living.

Just thinking and laughing, Steve