Thought for Saturday, November 3rd

November 3, 2012

Learn to Laugh

“A sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to our steps as we walk the tightrope of life.”

-       William Arthur Ward

  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

   A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

We have all probably heard it said, ‘He who laughs last; laughs loudest.’  In life it may not always be about having the last laugh or even laughing the loudest, that we need to focus on: but rather the idea that we are willing to laugh, both at ourselves and at the things that go on around us.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs, that a merry heart is good for us.

We also learn from the wisdom of God’s word that joy can bring us strength.

Mac Davis sang these lyrics, “Stop and smell the roses along the way:” we need to learn to value and appreciate the things that are part of our life and we need to find the happiness and joy that these things can bring: as well as finding the humor and joy that some of our mistakes can bring as well.  I often wonder how many times a day God stops to laugh at the things we do.

There are times and seasons for being serious and there are also those times we need to get real and not take ourselves too seriously: realizing, acknowledging and embracing the truth that we do a lot of laughable things and we will have a lot less stress if we would learn to laugh at some of these things.

The old cliché, ‘laughter is the best medicine’ is apropos; especially in the world in which we currently live.  If we do not somehow learn to laugh we may find that we have become overwhelmed with crying.

God did not create us to be a bunch of sad sack, mopey saints: we are told to rejoice in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Rejoicing requires happiness and happiness is identified by the sounds of laughter.  So may we all learn to laugh a little more and find more joy in the life that God has given us.

Today’s Prayer

Father, help me laugh with others, at myself and may I always look for the good, the joy and the humor in everything.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice