…it might just be the medicine you need!
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Solomon’s life had unhappy times, but he was wise enough to recognize the benefits of a spirit producing smiles and laughter. Laughter is an often-overlooked gift from God. Laughing at ourselves is an often-neglected tool to fight pride, conceit, and over-confidence.
Church growth specialist Lynn Ragsdale said he can tell in a few minutes if a church has the capacity to grow by knowing this: can they laugh at themselves? If they can do that, they can admit mistakes. If they can admit mistakes, they can accept the need to change.
Good-natured laughter is infectious. For years, I met with ten men each Tuesday for lunch. We had no agenda; we just talked (mostly mindlessly) and laughed (never mean-spirited). A few times, patrons would stop at our table to say they enjoyed hearing us enjoy ourselves.
As a boy in church, I don’t recall a preacher laughing or saying anything humorous. One Sunday School teacher looked like he ate a raw persimmon and sipped vinegar before class.
We’re told this attitude comes from ancient Greek philosophers. They believed laughter was a gift from the gods who heartedly laughed at one another and at humans. However, humans were held to higher standards.
Plato allowed laughter only in moderation so as not to appear undignified. Greek orators warned of losing the respect of people if leaders laughed too much. Greek politicians feared jesters might make fun of them and turn them into laughingstock.
Early Christian fathers forbade laughter, Later, Christians tried to control laughter thru carnivals. There were designated days of seriousness and official days of laughter. I guess they mandated Solomon literally when he wrote, ‘There is a time to laugh and a time to cry.’
Boston University Professor Peter Berger says in his book, Redeeming Laughter, that we can transform our world with laughter when reality becomes too intense. I agree with him!
When my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I was crushed. When she didn’t know me, I was doubly crushed. When she was too feeble to care for at home, I was wiped out. Nevertheless, when others frustrated her by pressuring her to remember what she was incapable of remembering, I made it my goal to help her laugh. I could make her laugh when she had no idea what we talked about. One day she thought I was her father, so I was her father. One day she thought I was my little brother, so I was my little brother. I was her brother, my stepdad, my sister, Conway Twitty and others. Regardless of who I happened to be to her, we talked and we laughed and she was happy. She received good medicine until the day she lapsed into a coma. Laughter was good for her.
When life gets too intense, try a little LOL; it’s good for you, too. And remember, you are greatly loved!
(I’ll leave you with this proverb. It’s not from Solomon, but it’s still a good one)
‘Happy are those who can laugh at themselves. They will never cease to be amused.’
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (3/23/2026)
