I’ve long been an admirer of G. K. Chesterton’s wit and humor. Consider his whimsical remark in his book Orthodox, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Never forget that the devil falls by force of gravity.” Excessive weight drags people down, but God uses levity to lighten our spirits. I am reminded of another quote by G.K. that makes a similar point, “You can have all the solemnity you want in choosing your neckties, but in anything important (such as sex, death, and religion), you must have mirth, or you will have madness.”
The writer of Ecclesiastes recognized “a time to weep and a time to laugh” (Eccl. 3.4). The therapeutic benefits of laughter are well documented. Our bodies release endorphins when we laugh, which fosters relaxation and well-being. Consider the Proverb, “A merry heart is good medicine” (Prov. 17.21). Yet laughter, like any of God’s good gifts, can be easily corrupted. Laughter at other people’s expense spoils the fun.
Many Christians lack a sense of humor. We take God seriously but not ourselves too seriously. Laughing at our own gaffes and foibles relativizes our own self-importance.
Sheldon Vanauken said, “The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians—when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.”
The following poem, “An Ancient Prayer,” by Thomas H. B. Webb (1898-1917), more often attributed to Thomas More, leads us to pray: