Who can resist the sound of laughter? It’s more contagious than any sneeze or cough. When laughter is shared, it brings people together and increases happiness and intimacy. It’s fun to laugh. It’s free to laugh. And it’s easy to use! No 500 page instruction booklet needed! Laughter helps you to put things in perspective. If you learn to play and laugh more, you’ll not only feel better but everyone else around you will feel more at ease as well.
Did you know studies show that humor and laughter help people live longer, happier; be more creative and productive? Laughter reduces stress, fear, embarrassment, and anger! Laughter even has healing power! When a person laughs, blood pressure decreases, the heart rate increases, the blood releases endorphins and depression declines. In fact a good laugh has a lasting effect, even until the next day!
Proverbs 17:22 | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Dr. Paul. E McGhee writes, “Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.” All these great and wonderful effects at the fraction of the cost of popping a pill in your mouth. In fact, it’s free! It’s God’s gift to humanity!
Did you know, on average, kids laugh 400 times a day, while grown ups only laugh about 15 times? What’s wrong with this picture? Adults have forgotten something along the way. I think we take ourselves too seriously! G.K. Chesterston once said, “angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.”
As we grow older, we get far too serious. Watch kids play! They don’t need expensive toys to entertain themselves. Adults mess it up by providing the expensive toys! Everything is fun. Everything is funny! Kids are spontaneous. Only when we get old do we get bored! Maybe when Jesus said, “Unless you become like a child you can’t enter the kingdom of God”, He meant being able to enjoy and laugh in the will of God. If you can’t laugh and enjoy God here and now, you will be bored out of your mind when you go to heaven!
God has a great sense of humor! God was in joy with a big smile on His face when He made Adam and Eve! Otherwise why would He declare, “It is VERY good!” He was so happy, He rested the next day, enjoying the creative processes and products of the six days work! Did you know ‘Eden’ means "rejoice," "happy," "delightful," and "pleasure?" You get the sense He really enjoyed creating Eden!
God made an old couple who could not bear a child laugh out of their minds. Genesis 21:6 | Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Okay, maybe not out of their minds, but it was contagious enough for Sarah to say, “Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Infectious!
At a middle Eastern wedding party, laughter was gasping for air because the wine jars were empty. Along came Jesus and the joy and the laughter was restored by Jesus turning water into wine. Imagine the facial expression of Jesus after the water was turned to wine. Is He frowning? Is He full of anxiety and worry? Is He stern and serious? Or do you see Him smile and rejoice along with the wedding party? Jesus turns mourning to laughter.
Victor Frankl wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
What will you put in ‘that space’? Worries, anxieties, stress and depression or laughter, humor, smile and joy?
Apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”[1 Thessalonians 5:16-18] What is God’s will? For his children to find happiness and joy in all circumstances!
Friends, fix your funny bone and teach yourself to see humor in all of God’s creation. Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you a disciple of Jesus? Smile, Jesus loves you!
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