Here’s Hope:
“The longer I live, the more I become convinced that the most magnetic quality of the Christian is not faith and is not love, but is joy. The faith and the love are seen afterwards but the joy is the magnetic quality that draws people to one another.” (Quoted from Chuck Swindoll, from his recording, “Laughter Volume 2, The Essential Ingredient for a Great Attitude)
Bible Reading: Proverbs 17:22 “A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Amplified Bible)
Consider This: I don’t know for sure but I suspect that you, like myself, have become weighed down over these past weeks as we have been dealing with this coronavirus situation. Too much confinement and too much bad news as we turn on the TV to find out what is going on. First suggestion, only watch the news in small doses, it will bring you down if you aren’t careful and overindulge. Second suggestion, to maintain your sanity, find some good clean comedy and sit down with your family and take it in! You may have to resort to YouTube, but find some family friendly stuff and just laugh a little, or a lot!
Today’s Bible passage is short but very practical to a healthy, balanced life in the midst of this pandemic we are experiencing. You need to laugh, it is good for your soul, your emotional well-being and your stressed out life. Chuck Swindoll, my all-time favorite speaker and pastor (Sorry, Adam and Tom) explains that the quality of joy is the most attractive trait we can have in drawing others to our Savior and the Christian life. I can sincerely say that when I was 18 years old, the person who influenced me most to become a Christian was a baseball coach, who had a wonderful sense of humor. He loved to joke around with my teammates and I. He seemed to just enjoy life. That coach as some of you know, was Tom Gaskins, my first pastor. I think my experience with Pastor Tom validates what Chuck Swindoll is saying about joy and having a healthy sense of humor. That joy is attractive to others.
Pastor Swindoll explains Proverbs 17:22 like this: He states that a good rendering of the Hebrew is, “A joyful heart causes good healing. You (God) heal(s) people with joy.” You understand, I am not saying, stop taking your high blood pressure medication. No, use common sense. But yes, do try to laugh more. It can help bring relief and enables you to deal better with life when it becomes heavy like these past weeks we have been through. If you need suggestions here are a couple: “Thou Shalt Laugh” ( A series of Christian comedians, dated, but still good.) Two of the best Christian comedians I enjoy are, Michael Jr. and Mark Lowry. All three of these can be found on YouTube. Please find some appropriate and family friendly humor and just laugh, it will bring healing to your soul.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that You created us with the capacity to laugh and enjoy life. May our laughter be found through your Holy Spirit which empowers us to have the fruit of the spirit called joy. Help us not to take life so seriously that we miss the opportunities to just enjoy life as You intended it to be. Please give us a healthy sense of humor to cope with life each day. Amen.