Did Jesus Have a Sense of Humour? 

I once heard a fundamental preacher say, “Jesus never laughed, because there’s nothing funny about hell.” WHOA! I can’t say for certain that Jesus did indeed laugh only because I can’t find it anywhere in scripture. That being said, the bible also doesn’t say that he didn’t laugh. I simply can’t imagine that Jesus never laughed. There had to be times when Jesus was sitting around with his 12 best friends eating and having a great time joking around.

Life and salvation are no joke, they are both serious realities, but in the midst of the seriousness of all things eternal, we need to remember to have a good laugh. My rule is that I gotta have at least one good laugh per day. This might be too much for some people, but however often you choose to do so; you gotta laugh at some point.

 

What the experts say…

“We change physiologically when we laugh. We stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues. … The effects of laughter and exercise are very similar”, says Wilson. “Combining laughter and movement, like waving your arms, is a great way to boost your heart rate. … And laughter appears to burn calories, too. Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University, conducted a small study in which he measured the amount of calories in laughing. It turned out that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned 50 calories.”

O.K., I have no memory of ever having laughed for 10-15 minutes straight, so I’m not going to recommend ditching a physical workout in exchange for a laughing session. But I will recommend that both your physical fitness and your spiritual fitness be infused with some laughter and humour. Working out has some funny moments; so the next time you fall flat on your face while running, get up, dust yourself off and have a good laugh about it. The same thing goes for our faith. Being a believer doesn’t have to be confined to sad, tear filled and dreary feelings. We can laugh at ourselves; life is hilarious sometimes.

 

Application:

Ask yourself when was the last time you had a good hearty belly laugh; the kind that leaves you in tears. If that’s too extreme for you, think back to the last time you laughed. Hopefully it doesn’t take more than a minute to remember.

If you are in need of a few more laughs and less tears and stress, here are a few suggestions:

-Go online and find some comedies that you like. Watch one or two and don’t be afraid to laugh out loud, even if you are alone.

-Head to a comedy club with your spouse, family or some friends.

-Find a funny novel to read

-Signup for an account with Netflix or something similar and you’ll always have comedies at your convenience