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Today I am grateful for a sense of humor.  I believe that God meant for us all to be able to laugh and enjoy life.  I met many Christians, however, who just seemed to feel that laughing and having a good time was somehow “unholy” or sinful.  What a shame.  I can’t imagine living life without the funny.

In a previous post, I talked about how I am taking a Beth Moore study at church and how I reacted to something she said.  But she also made another good point.  There are a lot of “shout for joy” Christians that never “fall facedown” before God.  On the other hand, there are a lot of “fall facedown” Christians that never get the “shout for joy” part.  I know several.  Some are in my family.  Everything is a crisis and “test of God.”  There is nothing to be happy about.  Let me tell ya, when you try to tell other people what God has done for you, and all you can muster is a frown and monotone voice, you don’t get very far.  When all you can seem to talk about is the latest crisis in your life or how this or that person is “persecuting” you, you cannot further the Kingdom of God.  When all you do is take offense at any off-hand or funny comment, I don’t think God counts that as righteousness. 

Christians, as a whole, need to loosen up.  I don’t mean that we need to compromise our beliefs.  I just believe we need to be a little more approachable and a little less holier-than-thou.  Okay, a LOT more approachable and a LOT less holier-than-thou.  We are mocked and ridiculed, I believe, more because of the way we behave than what we actually believe.  We are called to be IN the world, but not of it. 

Jesus sure knew how to balance being holy with being around sinners.  Around sinners is pretty much where He stayed.  Check out where the gospels recorded most of Jesus’ time as being spent – in the houses of other people, along with lots of other people.  Jesus went to parties.  He mixed and mingled.  He may have told a joke or two.  I am sure He knew how to laugh.  After all, He created laughter.  And He never once forgot His purpose or His mission.  He was always on the look-out for the next life to be changed. 

God wants us to be joyous on our journey with Him.  It is all over scripture.  God’s people threw big parties when He blessed them.  I think it saddens God’s heart when people can’t let go and be joyful.

So today, I am thankful that I can make and take a joke.  You can be funny without being crass or vulgar.  You can be funny while following God.  And you can have joy on the journey.  How awful would life be without laughter?!