I must confess that I love slapstick comedy. One person throws a custard pie at another, he ducks, and the chap behind him gets it right in the face. Why do we laugh when someone falls over, or does something stupid? I just don’t know, but we all still enjoy a laugh. What is it that is so funny when a man carrying a plank turns to look in another direction, and the plank hits and knocks someone off his feet ? And why is being hit or kicked on the bottom so much more humours than being hit or kicked in any other part of the anatomy ? The old act of hanging wallpaper has brought a real laugh in countless generations before us, and we still see the funny side of the assistant getting the paste brush wiped across the face, and the descending man on the ladder putting his foot into the paste bucket.
On the whole the Bible seems a serious book, perhaps that is because it has to do with the faults, failings and behaviour of sinful people, but I am now convinced that our Great Creator God has a humorous side to His nature. You have only to look at some of the animals He made to imagine Him laughing at His efforts.
Was there no smile on Jesu’s face as He said some people “Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel”. Or “a camel going through the eye of a needle”, (in spite of the straight explanation that has been made).
Can you really believe that God does not have a good laugh at some of the situations we find so funny ? Surely you cannot think that our eternal future is going to be sombre and serious, and that we will not have happy, humorous , and hilarious times of fun together with Him in His wonderful Kingdom.
We are made in the image of our God therefore our enjoyment of that which is funny must surely come from Our Creator.
There is one more thing to be said on this subject. In your conversations with God, have you never laughed with Him ? Has He never laughed at your silly ways or made you see the funny side ? He has with me, often !After all, just what have we got to be serious or miserable about when He has blotted out all our sins, and saved us, and made us inheritors of His Kingdom. I look forward to seeing YOU in heaven, for we shall have much to laugh over when we share the slapstick events of our lives.
When reading my first book one lady said that she laughed so much at something I related, that tears ran down her face, When God saw it happen can you doubt that He laughed too, or that He thinks of it sometimes with a big smile on His wonderful face ?
Try to see the funny side of life, enjoy life. Laughter is good for you, and part of the joy of The Lord.
Christian love… Gerald Gossage.