Where Looking & Laughing Leaves Us
Summer Series, Lesson3
Friday, July 15, 2022
Friday, July 15, 2022
“Laughter is the best medicine.” ~ Proverbs 17:22?
The Bible is credited for this famous quote, but whoever popularized the statement took significant liberties in the translation. A better translation is this, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” This specific proverb is attributed to Solomon — not just the “sayings of the wise.” But we need to remember, it’s a saying, not a formula. And it’s primarily true.
The Mayo Clinic writes this about laughter, “Whether you’re guffawing at a sitcom on TV or quietly giggling at a newspaper cartoon, laughing does you good. Laughter is a great form of stress relief, and that’s no joke.” According to their staff, it stimulates your major organs, relieves stress, and soothes tension. In a world where so many are fighting through crushed spirits and dried-up bones, allowing yourself to laugh might just be the best medicine.
That said, laughter has its limits. After all, Solomon sought fulfillment through laughter and frivolity and discovered this too is a “…chasing after the wind.” But let’s also keep in mind, that laughter is different from developing a cheerful heart.
If you’re a people watcher (looking) or you’re a stand-up addict (laughing), you might find yourself feeling empty if this is all you have to get through life.
In the movie Mary Poppins, there is a great scene where they all begin to laugh and levitate in the air. Take a look at the lyric:
Uncle Albert:
I love to laugh
Loud and long and clear
I love to laugh
It’s getting worse ev’ry year
The more I laugh
The more I fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more I’m a merrier me
It’s embarrassing!
The more I’m a merrier me!
Mary Poppins:
Some people laugh through their noses
Sounding something like this “Mmm...”
Some people laugh through their teeth goodness sake
Hissing and fizzing like snakes
Bert:
Some laugh too fast
Some only blast - ha!
Others, they twitter like birds
Then there’s the kind
What can’t make up their mind
Uncle Albert:
When things strike me as funny
I can’t hide it inside
And squeak - as the squeakelers do
I’ve got to let go with a ho-ho-ho...
And a ha-ha-ha...too!
All:
We love to laugh
Loud and long and clear
We love to laugh
So ev’rybody can hear
The more you laugh
The more you fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more we’re a merrier we!
The right kind of laughter lifts our spirits. Levity is associated with laughter just for that reason. However, the source of laughter makes a difference. Some laughter comes from a very dark place and can drag you — and others — down, rather than lifting anyone up. Other laughter comes from a place of hope and health and rejuvenates the soul.
The individual who is able to increase their joy as they age brings delight into their world. They stand in stark contrast to the “grumpy old man” or — as the Bible phrases it — a person whose countenance has fallen.
In my recent bout with Bell’s Palsy, the right side of my face lost nerve control and drooped uncontrollably. More than two months later, I have moments where my “countenance will fall” instantly and briefly. My facial nerves either tighten up or stop working, and my face contorts. Anyone witnessing it is caught off guard. It’s noticeable and frightening.
If our spirit…our being…loses its spiritual nerve for joy, we lose one of life’s most powerful healing agents. Laughter is, after all, good for the soul!
The Mayo Clinic writes this about laughter, “Whether you’re guffawing at a sitcom on TV or quietly giggling at a newspaper cartoon, laughing does you good. Laughter is a great form of stress relief, and that’s no joke.” According to their staff, it stimulates your major organs, relieves stress, and soothes tension. In a world where so many are fighting through crushed spirits and dried-up bones, allowing yourself to laugh might just be the best medicine.
That said, laughter has its limits. After all, Solomon sought fulfillment through laughter and frivolity and discovered this too is a “…chasing after the wind.” But let’s also keep in mind, that laughter is different from developing a cheerful heart.
If you’re a people watcher (looking) or you’re a stand-up addict (laughing), you might find yourself feeling empty if this is all you have to get through life.
In the movie Mary Poppins, there is a great scene where they all begin to laugh and levitate in the air. Take a look at the lyric:
Uncle Albert:
I love to laugh
Loud and long and clear
I love to laugh
It’s getting worse ev’ry year
The more I laugh
The more I fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more I’m a merrier me
It’s embarrassing!
The more I’m a merrier me!
Mary Poppins:
Some people laugh through their noses
Sounding something like this “Mmm...”
Some people laugh through their teeth goodness sake
Hissing and fizzing like snakes
Bert:
Some laugh too fast
Some only blast - ha!
Others, they twitter like birds
Then there’s the kind
What can’t make up their mind
Uncle Albert:
When things strike me as funny
I can’t hide it inside
And squeak - as the squeakelers do
I’ve got to let go with a ho-ho-ho...
And a ha-ha-ha...too!
All:
We love to laugh
Loud and long and clear
We love to laugh
So ev’rybody can hear
The more you laugh
The more you fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more we’re a merrier we!
The right kind of laughter lifts our spirits. Levity is associated with laughter just for that reason. However, the source of laughter makes a difference. Some laughter comes from a very dark place and can drag you — and others — down, rather than lifting anyone up. Other laughter comes from a place of hope and health and rejuvenates the soul.
The individual who is able to increase their joy as they age brings delight into their world. They stand in stark contrast to the “grumpy old man” or — as the Bible phrases it — a person whose countenance has fallen.
In my recent bout with Bell’s Palsy, the right side of my face lost nerve control and drooped uncontrollably. More than two months later, I have moments where my “countenance will fall” instantly and briefly. My facial nerves either tighten up or stop working, and my face contorts. Anyone witnessing it is caught off guard. It’s noticeable and frightening.
If our spirit…our being…loses its spiritual nerve for joy, we lose one of life’s most powerful healing agents. Laughter is, after all, good for the soul!
Text for Sunday: Ecclesiastes 2
Sermon Title: Where Looking & Laughing Leaves Us
Sermon Title: Where Looking & Laughing Leaves Us
Posted in Lead Pastor