Day 2 – Chuckles, giggling, and other
fun things
You would think laughing would be a
positive day in this Bible study. I like a good laugh. I don't fancy
myself a comedian, but I tend towards making light of things to ease
the darkness of life. I like to see people smile and getting them to
laugh is a special bonus that I admit I enjoy.
The root word for laugh in Ecclesiastes
3:4 is funny sounding to me in itself...sawkawk.
I imagine an unattractive bird with a
long turkey skin neck and beady eyes strutting around yelling,
“Sawkawk! Sawkawk!” Too funny.
The word sawkawk can mean to make
sport, to jest, to laugh, or to amuse…it appears that there is a
time for humor, and there most certainly is! However, I was shocked
to find that most uses in the Bible of this root are, what I would
consider, on the negative side of things.
There is a fair amount of derision in
the Old Testament. People laughing at others, expressions of the
Psalmist laughing at us, individual and communal angst expressed
when someone is made fun of for another's pleasure and gain. There
is the time when both Abraham and Sarah laugh at God (not a great
move), and even in Proverbs 31 she - wisdom, or the proverbial
woman- laughs at time, like, “Hey time, take that! You think you
can foil me, watch my tornado self clean this house and play with
these kids and love on this husband.” You get the idea.
In the New Testament, we often see the
Pharisees laughing at Jesus. Yuck. This is not good laughter either.
But Jesus, as He so often does, turns the things of this world on
their ear.
Read Luke 6:20-26 -
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are
you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for
you shall laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude
you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of
the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for
behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did
to the prophets.
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received
your consolation.
“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh
now, for you shall mourn and weep.
“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so
their fathers did to the false prophets.”
Don't miss the beauty in verse 20 -
“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples...”
He had a particular audience for this
passage. He ever invites us into relationship with Him and he's
honest with us.
“Blessed are those who weep…”
There will be weeping. But “they will laugh.”
“Woe to those who laugh.”…they
will weep. Oh will they weep.
It's a promise with some wisdom tucked
in.
Not to be too law oriented, but what
is funny to us? Is it appropriate? Is it at the expense of someone
else?
When we laugh in eternity it will be
sheer joy. God gives us glimpses and moments of that with those we
love now. We laugh at our child making silly faces to amuse us, we
laugh at an ironic coincidence on a TV show, we laugh at a friends
perfect timing when they share, “I have totally been there!”
One thing I learned from reading the
Scriptures today is that I have a new prayer.
I thank you, Lord, for laughter, and
for people to share moments and time and pleasures with. Lord, keep
my heart from finding humor in someone else's struggle. Mold me and
make me tender to Your precious people. May I always laugh, but may
it never be at someone else’s expense. In Your Name we pray, Amen.
Discussion questions:
What makes you laugh? (This is a no
judgement zone! Be honest. A person, a show, a limerick, whatever.)
Share a funny joke or meme.
Do you have any painful memories of
someone laughing at you or a time you treated someone poorly that you
wish you could undo? (Take a deep breathe and breathe in God's
forgiveness in His Word!)
Labels: Ecclesiastes, laugh
