Kurt and Lynn still laugh about that neck bite in the mall. I hope that stranger laughs about it someday too.
Have you seen anything funny lately? If you go looking you’ll find a lot to laugh about. Here are a few ads I’ve seen in newspapers:
• For Sale: Bull dog, will eat anything. Loves small children.
• Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated? Come here first!
• For Sale: Antique dresser suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.
• Illiterate? Write today for help.
Here are some actual questions asked by lawyers in court:
• Were you present when your picture was taken?
• Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?
• Doctor, how many of your autopsies were performed on dead people?
• You don’t know what it was, and you don’t know what it looked like, but can you describe it?
You’ll find humor in the strangest places. One Saturday, my friends Kurt and Lynn were strolling in a busy mall. It was Christmastime and like most married couples their wish lists were very different, so they agreed to part, then rendezvous in two hours. At the agreed upon time, Lynn spied Kurt ambling toward the agreed upon spot. A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. Stealing up behind him, she pounced on his back, and bit him hard on the neck.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Kurt.
Unfortunately, I’m not making this up. Lynn tried to explain herself, but the words were jumbled. She tried to run, but her feet were frozen like in those childhood dreams where the cops are chasing you.
This poor, traumatized joyless man saw no humor in this whatsoever. He turned and fled, leaving Lynn standing there, the focal point of a sell-out crowd of fellow shoppers. Then the most fantastic thing happened: Kurt arrived, listened to her story and standing in that crowded mall the two grownups began to laugh. They laughed like little kids, until they could hardly stand up.
Laughter is a lifesaver, isn’t it? I know of no stronger medication to help you wage war on embarrassment, stress, discouragement, fear—maybe even death itself, unless you’re diabetic—then insulin is rather important.
Remember being a kid? We found things funny. Grownups hit their heads on tree branches and we went into hysterics. But something happened on the way to adulthood. We went through primary school and puberty and pimples and dating and we gave birth and got in-laws and gained weight and lost some hair. And we allowed God’s gift of laughter to get sacrificed on the altar of maturity. But since when does growing up mean we have to grow cranky? Life gets serious. You know it. I know it. That’s why I’m a firm believer in making laughter part of our daily schedule. Genuine joy is a powerful evidence that God is in control and He’s at work in us.
In the book of Psalms, chapter 126, the writer tells what happened when the children of Israel were set free. “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy, then it was said among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them.”
Laughter isn’t just good for you, it’s good for those around you. And it can even point them to God. For twenty years it’s been my privilege to entertain audiences with humor that is rooted in hope. Anyone who does this knows that there are few thrills as exhilarating as watching folk slide from chairs lubricated with a glorious jolt of laughter. I’ve come to believe that a laugh is something deep inside you trying to shout, “Hey! It’s okay! Everything’s gonna be fine!” And it is.
The Bible promises over and over that regardless of what we’re experiencing today, we have nothing to fear and everything to hope for as we put our trust in the God in whose presence is fullness of joy.
Kurt And Lynn agree. They still laugh about that neck bite in the mall. I hope that stranger laughs about it too one day. After all, he’s got an unforgettable story to tell his grandkids.
Phil is the author of two dozen books. You can listen to his daily radio program at http://www.laughagain.ca
