How some of your humor can be discouraging to yourself and others …

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I love humor!

I love how “a good laugh” feels.

I even enjoy the sound of laughter.

How about you?

It’s more that good humor with a laugh is enjoyable or fun, it’s literally good for us. So good, in fact, that I “prescribe” humor and laughter to many people I minister to. We even find Jesus, in His teachings known as the “Beatitudes,” referring to laughter as like a blessing:

“Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, ‘God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh,'” Luke 6:20-21.

The Bible tells us there’s a time and place for laughter in our lives …

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven … A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance,” Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4.

But there’s also a time and place when laughter can be inappropriate, or incongruent to the immediate circumstances. An unknown source once noted the following:

    The definition of laughter is “… to express certain emotions, especially mirth or delight, by a series of spontaneous, usually unarticulated sounds often accompanied by corresponding facial and bodily movements.” The definition itself makes me want to laugh.

    Scientists have a variety of theories about why people laugh. One theory is that laughter is related to surprise. A baby is startled and starts to cry, but instantly realizes there is no danger, so the cry turns to a laugh. Another similar theory is that we laugh when something is incongruous. In other words, we are confronted with two things that don’t fit together. That may be what caused Abraham to laugh in Genesis chapter 17.

While there is benefit, time, and place for laughter in our lives, there are times when laughter doesn’t fit together with the topic at hand. In fact, many people attempt to use laughter as a cover for their not doing something they know they should be doing. For example:

The overweight person that has no intention of having a personal exercise regimen who routinely laughs at anything to do with exercise, fitness, or things that promote health.

The unfit and increasingly unhealthy person who refuses to eat a nutritious diet but consistently laughs about (and at) anyone who exercises enough self-discipline to maintain a healthy diet.

The biblically illiterate person who laughs at those who stress the need for having sound doctrine or studying theology.

The person who spends their free time behind a screen or wallowing in Netflix marathons but laugh at the encouragement to spend time nurturing relationships.

And on it goes.

When we use laughter in an attempt to camouflage our lack of doing the good things we should be doing, we only further discourage ourselves. And if we share humor aimed at degrading doing the good things any of us should be doing, we can be a discouragement to others and an excuse for them to hide behind,

That doesn’t mean every joke about fitness, or nutrition, or serious discipleship is wrong — again, humor and laughter can be a delightful thing.

And humor and laughter can also be a destructive thing.

Someone once wrote, “Laughter is the mind’s intonation. There are ways of laughing which have the sound of counterfeit coins.” That’s when laughter is incongruent, not fitting with the issue at hand. How are you using laughter in your life? Is it something you try to hide behind, knowing you’re not doing what you know you really should be doing? Or do you brighten your days with a good laugh that fits the moment?

Scotty