So it turns out this is a touchy subject…  This is my third attemp to write out this post in a relatively non-offensive way.  The point is not to call humor bad, not to call laughter evil, not to judge anyone, not to promote judging the humor of those around you…  It is a heart’s desire to know what godly humor looks like.

My hubby and I were chatting the other night and the thought came up… Is humor ever modelled in the Bible? We couldn’t think of a single verse, but surely there must be some in there.  Would love for others to share such passages (not the type of search one can do with a keyword search).  Admittedly,  I do find the passage about straining to avoid a gnat and then going and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24) quite funny.

Praise God that a joyful heart and laughter can both be very good, gifts from God even.    This post is about the source of our mirth and merrymaking…    In my gut, I suspect that God has a very healthy and completely lovely sense of humor.   I don`t have answers, these are simply questions I have.

“Laughter is good medicine” have you ever heard this expression?

Here is the proverb (Proverbs 17:22).

A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Not quite the same thing hey?

I am quite sure I have seen this modelled and yet it remains illusive in my own life and application.

Somehow it must be possible to be funny without someone getting hurt, at someone’s expense etc. My confession: when someone gets hurt, i laugh, and hate that this is my nervous response to seeing someone experience any kind of pain. I hate this response.. truly hate it. And yet, “Funniest Home Videos”, which is has thrived for how many seasons?, exploits this and reinforces this at every turn. Is it really all that surprising that we are losing all ability to even suppress such an uncompassionate response to the pain/plight of another.

I believe that God has hardwired us to have certain emotional and chemical responses to life and circumstances. Fight or flight is a well known one. I think this laughing in reaction to embarrassing, painful, nerves etc could very well be a godly and good, a way of helping us to release the ungodly feelings and emotions that can follow such an event. Is there a consequence for persistently and deliberately triggering these responses? Many of the conditions we hear about from depression and depressed immune system can result from just this…

Please do not misunderstand, I am not suggesting that laughter is bad, in fact in Job 8:21 it says that God will bring laughter.

Is it possible that we have exchanged the godly thing “a joyful heart” for the carnal thing, worldly humor and mirth (merriness)? The difference is in the source of these two things.

I looked up “merry” on Biblegateway.com out of curiosity. Something to think about.

What I have noticed… A lot of humor is at the expense of someone (including self), rely’s heavily on sarcasm, which can be highly confusing and often leads to hurt feelings and is used to express something that is in their heart while claiming no responsibility for the words “just kidding”/”I didn’t mean it” etc.

Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

I have also noticed that humor is often used to difuse different kinds of atmospheres.

So here is a thought, I have noticed that when someone receives correction (for example, a teacher or speaker in church speaks a “hard” truth) that brings godly conviction, the ensuing atmosphere of conviction is well…. uncomfortable. Sometimes in having a challenging conversation with something, I can’t help but notice that my own knee jerk reaction is to turn to humor to shift things…

Hebrews 12:11(NLT)

11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful(sorrowful)! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

 

One of the core things the Holy Spirit does is convict us and lead us into truth. At the time, the experience isn’t “enjoyable” but the harvest that results is wonderful. Is it possible that we have put our comfort and our avoidance of all things unpleasant above fearing and honouring the Lord? Is it possible that we can actually at times grieve the Spirit and interfere with His work in when and how we use humor?

Having young children myself, I have noticed that they laugh when they are genuinely happy or find something funny, but I can also make them laugh by tickling them. As most of us have personally experienced, tickle induced laughter can sound joyful but can also be most unwelcomed by the one being tickled.

 

John 14:26(NLT)

26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Isn’t it interesting that so many of the things we can do to grieve the Holy Spirit involves our mouths?    The concept of idle words/curses is one that has been on my heart for quite some time..    It naturally follows that these can slip in and disguise themselves in  humor and because of the laughter that ensues, there is an even greater potential for these to slip by us unnoticed.

 

Ephesians 4:25-32 (NKJV)

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Something to think about, no?