Tonight I just had the urge to watch one of my favorite comedies of all time: Robin Hood:Men in Tights. Gotta love Mel Brooks. It's a dumb, slapsticky movie, but it's done in a smart way. That may not make any sense, but there are some good lines in this one. When one of the guards tells Robin and his men to walk this way, they all walk exactly the same way. (That's a gag used in several Mel Brooks movies, actually).  What is it about watching a movie that you've seen a thousand times but still get a kick out of? They say laughter is the best medicine!

The Bible says that laughter is a gift from God. In Luke 6:21, Jesus says, "God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy." Granted, watching a funny movie is only a temporary form of happiness, but I try to squeeze every moment that I can. The Hebrew word for laugh is txachaq, which can also mean the act of laughing. Some times laughter is a cynical, scornful reaction, sometimes it's a fake reaction, trying to cover up sadness (The Tears of a Clown comes to mind), and sometimes God is laughing at the wicked. Tschaq can also refer to 'joking' or 'play'. The laughter I'm talking about is the kind one uses to express mirth or joy. "When the Lord restored his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, 'What amazing things the Lord has done for them. Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!" (Psalms 126:1-3)  Of course, this kind of joy is beyond all compare.

Laughter is a necessary part of life and part of my Christian walk. For one thing, it reduces stress. For another, I really don't think Jesus was a joyless person to be around, or He wouldn't have attracted as many followers as He has. I am convinced that God has a sense of humor. I think of my grandmother and her late friend Bill Sandberg. They had the best time, although they only time they really spent together was in church. But the joy they brought each other, and the love she showed to him, helped attracted him to our church and the Lord found him, and they had several years of love and friendship before he passed away early this year. He had the best sense of humor.