Derision

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. (Psalm 2:4 ESV)

Derision

The Lord laughing with His children is a nice picture.  But the Lord’s laughter is not always nice. 

He laughs at those who rebel against Him.  That laughter is not mean-spirited or immature.  It is an acknowledgement that His enemies are powerless.

Cultures that claim God does not exist do not ‘think’ Him out of existence.  So He laughs at their thoughts.

Nations that legislate against God’s Laws do not change the Law of the Universe by their puny laws and rulings.  So He laughs at their efforts.

People in authority (any authority) who put themselves in God’s place of real authority rule over nothing.  So He laughs at them.

But while He laughs derisively at them, He continues to laugh comfortingly with us, His children.

So when we hear, see, and smell the rebels… remember God Himself is laughing.  We do not need to fear, worry, or lash out.

Remembering how BIG God is… let’s join Him in laughter.

Unity

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15 ESV)

Unity

The opposite of selfishness is togetherness.

Obviously, one should not do something just because everyone else is doing it.  As my mother used to ask, “If everyone ELSE drove their tricycles off a cliff, would you do it, too?”

But some actions are meant to be followed.

When others are filled with sorrow, we follow, out of compassion and love.

When others are excited, we follow out of companionship and love.

When others are working, we follow out of community and love.

When others are quietly resting, we follow out of common decency and love.

And when others laugh… we get to laugh, too.

It works best when our unity is strong.  When we are bound together through our common faith in Christ, more than when we are bound together by trivial things.

It works best when our unity is the result of the one gospel in our lives, more than the result of age groupings, career groupings, or geographical groupings.

Rejoice together, weep together, and laugh together.

Medicine

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 ESV)

Medicine

A variety of medicines fill our medicine cabinet.  And most of them are useful medicine… for SOMEthing.  There are medicines that are good for headaches.  There are medicines that are good for tummy troubles.  There are medicines that are good for allergy symptoms.

The medicines are good for some things.  But the medicines are not good for all things.

Laughter works that way, too.

Certainly, laughter is not always the medicine we need.  But according to Proverbs 17:22, a joyful heart, perhaps displayed by laughter, is good for times when our spirits are crushed.

Perhaps such laughter is an action we can choose to pursue, in a sort of ‘fake it till you make it’ sort of situation.  We can choose to see the humorous in a dark situation.  We can choose joy, particularly the joy we find in union with Christ.  We can choose to laugh, in the hope of resulting joy.

Perhaps such laughter is something that comes upon us, and almost seems to happen TO us.  God’s Spirit can lift our hearts and bring laughter when we least expect it.  Maybe as a part of the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7).  Our dry bones inexplicably find revival as we laugh in that way.  Maybe laughing in the face of trouble, maybe laughing through the trouble.  Maybe just laughing and finding joy from the Lord.  We can submit to laughter, the result of union with Christ.

Either way, such laughter is like medicine.

Take your medicine!  This kind does not even need a spoonful of sugar.

Laughter

Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, “Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?” Recovering, Abraham said to God, “Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!” But God said, “That’s not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). (Genesis 17:17-19 The Message)

Laughter

There is a lot of laughter in this paragraph! But the best part is not even in these verses.  God’s sense of humor is displayed here with His use of ironic wordplay.  First, Abram and Sara receive new names.  Abram became Abraham, Sara became Sarah.  And while we would be correct to particularly note the meanings of the changing names, there is also some humor displayed in the names themselves.  In Hebrew, just like in English, the Ha-hA of the name-changes mimics the sound of laughter.  And then later, Sarah laughs at the announcement of her pregnancy (Genesis 18:13)

So much laughter… some of it bitter, some of it pleased, some of it shocked, some of it ironic… but all of it funny.

God likes laughter.  We know the angels rejoice when the Redeemed come home.  And God Himself uses laughter here to display His joy… His pleasure… and His expectation that we will be laughing, too.

I agree that there is not a lot of deep theology in this idea of laughing.  It is simply good to laugh with God cheerfully about the saving work of our God!

Wonder

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1 ESV)

Wonder

Many parents create an art museum on our refrigerators.  When visiting friends, sometimes we can learn about their children’s personalities, characters, and likes/dislikes.  And we can do the same thing with our God’s refrigerator.

We learn about Him through His creation.  We see in creation His personality, character, and likes/dislikes.

We smile when a dog’s tail wags, because we know that the God who invented dogs’ tails likes to smile, too.  That dog’s loyalty, trust, and affection are displayed obviously and unabashedly.  And we smile.  God, and all of heaven, likewise rejoice at OUR loyalty, trust, and affection regarding Him.  My dog’s wagging tail teaches me about both God, and myself.

Birds teach us a lot about the God who invented and created them.  They also teach us about how God sees His people.  Birds are mentioned in the Bible nearly 300 times!  Depending on the context, the Biblical reference to birds symbolizes freedom, transcendence, divine providence, or occasionally even evil.  God’s lessons via birds are varied, wide, and sometimes a little cloudy.

But the lesson God taught when He invented and created the Platypus seems clear.

God has a sense of humor.

I can imagine Adam’s chortle when that platypus waddled up to be named.  And not a mocking laughter, but a simple laughter of humor.  How could Adam NOT laugh?  Joyfully, pleasantly, with affection and amusement?

Laugh the same way, sometimes.  Sometimes things are simply funny.  Laugh, because God made them.  Sometimes situations are simply funny.  Laugh, because God caused them.  Sometimes people are simply funny.  Laugh, because God guides them.

Plenty of things are not funny.  Do not laugh at them.

But when you find something funny… laugh in wonder with God.

Puns and Praise

But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (Romans 2:29 ESV)

Puns and Praise

While some might consider Puns the lowest form of humor, a pun is a play on words, and can be clever, insightful, and educational.

In our look at laughter in the Bible, here is a Biblical Pun.

In Hebrew, the word for “praise” is pronounced, “yaw-daw.”  The name Judah is pronounced, “YAW-hoo-DAW.”  Said rapidly, they are almost indistinguishable.

The Bible Puns this similarity repeatedly.  For instance, Leah proclaims in Genesis 29:35, “This time I will PRAISE the Lord.  Therefore, she called his name Judah.”

Similarly, as Jacob lay dying, he pronounces that, “JJUDAH, your brothers shall PRAISE you…” (Genesis 49:8 ESV)

But in the book of Romans, Paul writes with amazing Punniness. He points out that a Jew (the name derived from Judah) is not a Jew primarily by birth… but by what is inside their hearts.  Simply put, God’s children are determined not by genetics, or external actions… but by the PRAISE that is our foundation of thought, word, and deed.

God’s people are the ones who praise Him! In fact, we can’t help it.  We know His loving hand behind all things.  We know His loving grace towards us.

We are the ones who Praise God.  We are Judah!

Go ahead and chuckle. 

Understanding

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness… (Psalm 30:11 ESV)

Understanding

It is said that a wise person laughs three times at a joke.  First, when it is told.  Second, when it is explained.  And finally, again, when the joke is understood.

While in the midst of mourning, laughter can come when we find ourselves in better circumstances, of course.

But we also find joy and laugh through understanding.  Understanding might come through a nudge from God’s Word.  Perhaps understanding comes through the words of a friend.  And maybe understanding comes through renewed awareness of the presence of God, EVEN in dark times.

But when we know Him anew, or perceive Him anew, or understand Him anew… we might laugh instead of mourn.

Naomi experienced this when Ruth remained with her.  The disciples experienced this in the upper room.  Saul experienced this on the road to Damascus. 

The more we know, the more we laugh.

Bad Laughter

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 7:6 ESV)

Bad Laughter

Not all laughter is a blessing, a sign of awareness of blessings, or a result of joy.

The laughter of fools, says the Preacher, is merely fuel for fire, and worthless.

But what is foolish laughter?

Foolish laughter is laughter not coming from God, godliness, or God’s character in a Christian’s life.

In other words, the motivation of the laughter determines whether it is joyful or destructive… a blessing or a cause of pain… an act of love, or an act of self-love.

When I was very young, our pastor preached a sermon that I mocked.  He claimed that mocking was unrighteous. I agreed with that.  He claimed that laughing at suffering was hateful.  I agreed with that.  But then he went too far.

He claimed that teasing was unrighteous, unloving, and hateful.

I thought teasing was fun.  I thought teasing was a part of community.  I thought teasing was a sign of affection.

But that horrible sermon has since worked it’s way into my mind, heart, and soul.

I realize that I might not speak for you.  But I also realize that when I tease, even with a smile on my face, I am lifting myself up, and pushing another down.  When I tease, I am laughing at someone’s misfortune, error, or struggles.  When I tease, I am mocking small things that have strong connection to larger matters of the heart.

I have built bonfires with thorny branches.  They flare up, sometimes loudly.  But they do not heat, persist, or help the bonfire.

And foolish laughter is not necessary, useful, or good.

In fact, it is foolish.  Because laughing in THAT way is not acting like Christ.  It is acting like I am the choreographer.  Laughing in THAT way is not acting like Christ.  It is acting like I know others’ hearts more than they do.  Laughing in THAT way is not acting like Christ.  It is acting like I care more about my place in the spotlight, than I care about caring for the cares of someone else.

No more foolish laughter.

The good news is, that Christ died for our mocking laughter.  But it still hurt someone else.  Like the woman at the well, Jesus tells us, “Go, and sin no more.”

Laugh better.

It's Time

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance… (Ecclesiastes 3:4 ESV)

It’s Time

I recently attended a play at a local theater.  A man seated nearby laughed way too often. 

I recently told a hilarious joke.  The couple I was speaking to did not respond with laughter.

We have times to laugh… and times not to laugh.  And often they are internally determined.

These days we seem to be laughing less often.

Certainly, we have reasons to NOT laugh.

But God’s people have lots of reasons TO laugh that we ignore.

Beyond the obvious HUGE issues that Christians can rejoice about (salvation, forgiveness, hope, God’s sovereignty, love’s presence, smiles), there so many small, non-theological, often unnoticed things that God sends us.

And more often than not, we choose to miss those times to laugh.

Here are some insignificant things that have brought laughter.

My wife and I have a new inside joke.  My dog got lost in the living room.  I tried to write with a woodscrew.  A friend pointed out an error in a non-critical way.  A movie scene reminded me of a happy moment, our cat brought a bath-toy to the wrong part of the house, I sneezed in perfect rhythm with a song, I discovered that Mount Gloss, which I thought SHOUJD have been named Mount Glass, actually originally WAS named Mount Glass. 

Those things (and many more) gave rise to laughs, not because I was in a good mood, or because I analyzed carefully my overall situation, or because I was overly tired.

I was able to laugh because I worship and serve a God who I know gives me good things.  And sometimes I am on the lookout for them.

It’s time to laugh when we choose to realize that God gives us things to laugh about.

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Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126:2 ESV)

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Christians today are noticed for our self-righteousness and our anger.  And maybe, as we watch the world step away from God, and hear the world mock God, and find ourselves with less and less influence in the world, we have reason for anger, and for fear, and for disappointment.

But our mouths can do more than complain, criticize, and condemn.

We can also laugh.

And when we laugh, we present a winsome face to the world.  When we laugh because of God’s helping hand, the nations notice, and can be impressed with God’s work.  When we laugh because we see His victories, even though often they are hidden, the nations notice and can be impressed with God.  When we laugh because we know God keeps His promises, the nations notice can be impressed with God.

We are, in this world, the image of God.  We are how the world sees God.  We are how the world notices God.

And laughter is a better advertisement than anger.

Comfort

Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. (Luke 6:21 ESV)

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 ESV)

Comfort

In the midst of a recent stressful time, my wife and I found a new thing to laugh about.  It was silly, meaningless, and kind of cutesy.  But we laughed.

And the laughter grew from a snicker, to a shnortle, to a laugh, to a belly laugh.  And oh, it felt good.

Since that time, we remind each other of that moment.  And we laugh again.

That laughter was a gift from God to us.  Combining the verses above, we were mourning… and God comforted us with laughter.

Sometimes God comforts mourners and weepers by giving us understanding of what is going on.

Sometimes God comforts mourners and weepers by giving us His Word, driven into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes God comforts mourners and weepers by giving us the desires of our hearts.

Sometimes God comforts mourners and weepers by giving us resolution to our trouibles.

Always God comforts mourners and weepers by drawing our eyes to the Light, Jesus Christ.

But sometimes, and it can be so sweet, God comforts mourners and weepers by giving us the gift of laughter!

God gives good gifts.

Yet!

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting. (Job 8:21 ESV)

Yet!

It is rumored (falsely) that Eskimos have over a thousand words for snow.  Because snow takes many forms, and serves many purposes, Eskimos understand the variety of snows.

Laughter just might be the same sort of thing.  There is painful laughter, fearful laughter, worried laughter, giddy laughter, silly laughter, uncontrollable laughter, habitual laughter, reactive laughter, delayed laughter, and my favorite: a belly laugh.

One of Job’s friends correctly promises Job that because God is good, His people will find laughter in the end.  Good laughter.  Pleasant laughter.  Relaxing laughter.  Peaceful laughter.  Joyful laughter.  Unabashed laughter.

Maybe even a belly laugh.

Laughter is coming.  The Daily News might be discouraging.  Yesterday might have been dark.  Our fears might be overwhelming.  Our tears might be cutting furrows in our cheeks…

But laughter is coming.

Jesus already paid for it.  It is more sure, even, than our expectations of more sorrows.

Laughter is coming.

Our trust that God knows what He is doing might even bring an early smirk today.

Our realization that God’s love, which is so deep that He killed His only-begotten Son for us, brings joyful laughter might even bring an early eye-crinkle today.

Definitions

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. (Psalm 145:9 ESV)

Definitions

Intuitively, most folk understand what humor is.  We know when an event is funny.  We know what circumstances are funny.  We know that some things just make us laugh.

Humor and laughter are found in Scripture.  Usually described by narrative… sometimes described by definitions.

We see mocking laughter in the Bible.  We see laughing in acknowledgement of victory in the Bible.  We see joy that results in laughter in the Bible.  We see contentment that leads to laughter in the Bible.

My usual go-to understanding of humor, funny, and laughter starts with the idea of incongruity.  We notice a disconnect between expectations and reality.  And when that incongruity is pleasant, we sometimes find humor.  Laughter is often a reaction to an extremely surprising (but pleasant) distance between what we think is going to occur, and what actually ends up happening.

Why would I think the Bible would have anything to say about such occurrences?  Because God’s Word creates and develops our expectations for today’s and tomorrow’s events.  God describes for His people a true picture of reality, and that picture is sometimes different than what we expect and experience.

For the next few weeks, let’s wander around the idea of expectations.  What do we expect our world and our lives to be like?  What is our strongest source of expectations? 

And when our expectations do not meet with our reality, what is our reaction?

Because God is GOOD, His plans are GOOD.  Our earthbound expectations are often in conflict with the beautiful, bright, and dare I say fun plans that God is enacting around us, and in us.

I believe that we need more laughter amongst God’s people.

And I am expecting the Bible to display that.

God is good… so we can find reasons to laugh.

LAUGHTER

I recently observed a number of people laughing in different situations.  Someone told a funny joke, and people laughed in response.  A young person was clumsy, and people laughed.  A man misunderstood a current event, and people laughed.  At a time of tension, someone noticed something funny, and laughter relieved the tension.  A couple was feeling emotionally close, and laughter resulted. 

Laughter is a strange and common thing.

Does God have a sense of humor?

Is laughter the Best Medicine?

Is laughter primarily hurtful, or healing?

Does God’s Word have anything to say about laughter?

For the next weeks, we will be examining what the Bible says about laughter.

Mountains

For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 ESV)

Mountains

After the battle of Waterloo, the British commander, the Duke of Wellington, had his bored soldiers build a mountain.  He considered that the creation of that mountain would be a testimony to the faith displayed by those soldiers in defeating (twice) the Perfect General, Napoleon.  Build a MOUNTAIN?  Impossible!  Defeat Napoleon???  Impossible!

That mountain is still there.  It is an amazingly beautiful monument… touchable, climbable, and OH what a view!

Jesus was not describing a new method of landscaping.  He was claiming that Faith is present in impossible things.

Such as forgiveness.  It is impossible for us to earn forgiveness in the eyes of our Holy God.  But faith makes the impossible real.

It is impossible for us to be forgiving.  Especially when our hurts and righteous anger are entrenched in our memories and our hearts.  But faith makes the impossible real.

In fact, faith makes the impossible amazingly beautiful.

Rebuke

It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:5 ESV)

Rebuke

The wisdom of the world, EVEN what we praise as so-called Common Sense tells us to get even, to withhold forgiveness until earned, and to never forget offenses.

But that wisdom is foolish, Biblically.

It is short-term thinking.  It is self-centeredness.  It shows a motivation of fear, instead of trust.  It denies the power, effect, and wonder of the gospel.  It hates instead of loves.  It brings death instead of life.

The gospel, wisdom itself, rebukes our grudges.  The gospel, wisdom itself, rebukes our lack of forgiveness.   The gospel, wisdom itself, rebukes our nurtured hatred.

Whom will we hear?

The End

When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to Him who judges justly.  (I Peter 2:23 ESV)

The End

Jesus, even during His earthly life, forgave.

He had more reason to hold a grudge than anyone.  He was unjustly reviled.  He unfairly suffered.  He was treated how His sinful people should have been treated, instead of with the respect and awe He deserved.

But He did not lash out.  He did not seek retribution.  He did not demand justice.

Because He knew what was coming.

God would bring justice.

Without diminishing the wrath of God that is coming on those who reject Him, the most surprising aspect of God’s justice is that it came on our innocent Savior.  On our behalf!

The end result of God’s justice that COULD have come on our heads, came on Christ’s head.

The end result of God’s justice that WOULD have come on our heads, came on Christ’s head.

The end result of God’s justice that SHOULD have come on our heads, came on Christ’s head.

He forgave because He knew His Father was in the process of forgiving.  He held no grudge because He knew His Father was in the process of forgiving.  His righteous anger fell away because He knew His Father was in the process of forgiving.

The End gave meaning to the means!

Dancing

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (Psalm 30:11,12 ESV)

Dancing

I bear grudges.  I remember hurts.  I nurture anger.  I am uncomfortably comfortable with my lack of forgiveness.

And as I wallow in that mud, I realize that I am pretty entrenched.

It is a horrible habit.  And like all habits it is difficult to break.

But asking God’s help gives hope.

I will no longer mourn my lack of forgiveness.  I will no longer wear shameful sackcloth of grudges.  I will dance in gratitude to the God who changes my heart.

May that dancing day come soon!

Counting

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45 ESV)

Counting

Many of us are counters.  Probably all of us.  But WHAT we keep track of demonstrates what we value.  Runners count miles.  Dieters count calories.  Sports fans count Olympic medals our country accumulates.  Grandparents count grandchildren.  Walmart counts customers.  Bankers count deposits.

And perhaps because we do not value the forgiveness granted His children by God, Christians count sins. 

Particularly, in the light of this series, we count grudges, enemies, frenemies, hates, and those we consider, “them.”

Instead, it would help move our hearts towards Godly graciousness, if we started to notice and remember the times we have forgiven others.

No, we do not need to keep a bragging book.  But somehow, we easily remember our lack of forgiveness.  Sometimes with shame.  Sometimes with a sense of justification.  Sometimes almost with pride.

Remembering the times God has enabled us to forgive, or even enabled us to desire to forgive puts goodness in the treasury of our hearts.

And that increased treasury increases our ability to forgive.

Think about Christ’s treasury in this way.  While He COULD harbor anger and hate in His heart, His heart is love-filled.  And so, forgiveness flows supernaturally from Him.

Count your forgiveness-es, name them one by one…

Counting

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (Romans 4:8 ESV)

Counting

WARNING: MATHEMATICAL CONCEPT AHEAD.

What does zero mean?  In a way, it a number just like any other.  Measuring along a line, we move from negative 1, to zero, to positive 1.  Subtracting 17 from 17 yields an answer of zero. 

But in another way, it is the absence of any number.  When we are estimating how many days until Christmas, zero does not make sense.  Zero means nothing… not necessarily nothing on the way to one.

When considering our Lord’s forgiveness of our sins, the Lord does not any longer count them.  So in His mind, we have zero sins.  Not merely less than one sin.  But no sin.  He does not count them because counting zero sins makes no sense.

That nothingness was costly, but we do not pay for it.  Jesus does.

Jesus obliterated all the numbers on our sin-counting spreadsheet.   There is nothing to count.

Zero is a wonderful number!