The gift of Humor
“Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be entertained.” – said John Powell. We live in a very stressful world. There may be many factors that have affected our lives and lifestyles, but one of the important reasons why life has become dry and drudgery for many of us is because we have unconsciously removed humor from our daily lives as we are caught up with the many concerns of life.
A sense of humor may not alter anything in the world, but it has the power to relax the atmosphere and release us from the clutches of tensed moments. Life is tough, and sometimes it can be very difficult to handle some of the situations, but these are the times when we really need the gift of humor. I do not have a formula to make life easier, but I am convinced that the quickest way to make life miserable is to eliminate humor from your life. Remember when you take the sense of humor out of your life, you will not only become a pain to yourself, but will contribute to the misery of those around you.
Remember when you take the sense of humor out of your life, you will not only become a pain to yourself, but will contribute to the misery of those around you.
A recent study shows that an average child laughs about 400 times a day, while an average adult laughs about 15 times a day. Of course we adults are exposed more to the pain and evil of this world and that may be the reason why we cannot laugh as much as children. However, is life really so bad that we should deprive ourselves of almost 385 opportunities to laugh each day? There are some things in life that have to be taken seriously, but if we take everything in life seriously (especially yourself) than we will definitely be overwhelmed by the tragedy of life.
I have just learned the art of looking at the lighter side of life more often because that brings balance to my life and makes life’s journey enjoyable.
For those of you who know me personally, you know that I love jokes and I really enjoy the sense of humor God blessed me with. However, I am not a comedian, neither am I a funny person, I have just learned the art of looking at the lighter side of life more often because that brings balance to my life and makes life’s journey enjoyable. Now since I talked so much about the importance of humor and laughing let me share some church bloopers (embarrassing mistakes in church bulletins) that can put a smile on your face. • At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice. • Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary. • Don’t let worry kill you — let the church help. • • Thursday night–Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow. •
Life is full of unexpected occurrences and surprises, instead of stressing ourselves with the unknown let us enjoy each day of our lives with what is known and given. Here is some wisdom from others who have recognized the importance of humor in their daily lives. Joel Goodman says “Humor is a way to keep us sane and keep our dignity when we face insane or inhuman situations.” Mark Twain calls humor mankind’s greatest blessing. G.K. Chesterton notes “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly; devils fall because of their gravity.” Aristotle says “The gods too are fond of a joke”.
Humor not only brings some balance into life, but also is a great healer. Mahatma Gandhi once said “If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.” Tim Hansel notes “When we can laugh at ourselves and our own situations and the life around us, it literally produces physiological and chemical changes in our bodies that bring about a greater sense of vitality, health, and even healing.” The wise man in the Bible says “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Prov 17:22). Don’t let the worries of life overwhelm you, loosen up a little bit and take time to laugh. Let me close with this quote by Henry Beecher “A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.” The next time your wagon/life makes noise don’t blame the pebbles on the road, may be its time to add some springs (humor and laughter) to your wagon.
“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.” – Henry Beecher
– – Author: Rev. Francis Burgula – –
