The other night my wife, Ashli, was getting ready to put our boys to bed. I walked into the room and heard them giggling and laughing so hard. It was quite a pleasant surprise. I love hearing my boys laughing! I found out Ashli was reading jokes to them. What happened to bedside stories right? Well, at our household…we like to laugh and have a good time! This silly moment filled with jokes, and laughter, was a reminder that we all need to laugh a little from time to time.
Here are a few of the jokes Ashli told to our children:
What did the big flower say to the big flower? Hi bud! Why are fish so smart? Because they live in schools! Knock! Knock! Who’s there? Scold. Scold who? Scold outside, let me in! Why did the pony get sent to his room? Because he was horsing around! Why wouldn’t the shrimp share his treasure? Because he was a little shellfish! Why is Cinderella so bad at soccer? Because she’s always running away from the ball! What did one eye say to the other eye? Between us … something smells!
Proverbs 17:22 also points out, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” In 2017, Forbes magazine wrote an article about the medicinal effects of laughter.* Based on studies from the Journal of Neuroscience, there are 6 main reasons laughter can be a potent drug for mind and body: 1) Laughter is a potent endorphin releaser, 2) Laughter contagiously forms social bonds, 3) Laughter fosters brain connectivity, 4) Laughter is central to relationships, 5) Laughter has an effect similar to antidepressants, 6) Laughter protects your heart (Research has shown that laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect that protects blood vessels and heart muscles from the damaging effects of cardiovascular disease). Psychology Today, using a superlative title, believes laughing reduces pain, blood-sugar levels, helps your blood vessels function better. Their article is titled “Laughter is the Best Medicine.”
Furthermore, if laughter is so good for us, why don’t we laugh more? Obviously, there’s a time for everything. The Bible says that there’s a time for everything under the sun, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). The juxtaposition of our moments of laughter and mourning communicates the movement of our lives. Personal struggles, physical pain, frustration, stress, disappointment, and suffering are part of our human experience. We do not always have reasons for laughter (In fact, pain can also be good for us … but that’s another article for another day).
In recent times, our society has been griped with fear. The Coronavirus outbreak has caused schools, businesses, and churches to close down around the globe. Countries around the world issued nation-wide quarantine orders. It’s hard to find reasons for fun, laughter, and happiness in the midst of chaos. But, we must not forget that there is more to life than living in fear of the unknown. As Christians, we can rejoice in our sufferings! Paul writes, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
In sum, do you need a little more laughter in your life? If so, lighten up! Set time apart to enjoy laughter with your family and friends. Make time to relax, rest, and even make fun of yourself! It is good medicine … I recommend it!
Written by Daniel Messina
Read another one of my articles here: https://thepreachersdevoblog.com/try-social-media-distancing/
Wendy Wotring