Saturday 21 January 2012

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven; … and a time to weep, and a time to laugh. –Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

 

Doctors and psychologists tell us that laughter is good for us.  This is undoubtedly true, because the Bible says that “a merry heart does good, like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22)

 

But the Scriptures make a distinction between good and bad laughter.  The author of Ecclesiastes declares that the laughter of people who have no place for God in their lives has no more value than the noise of crackling thorns in a fire. (Ecclesiastes 7:6).  God disapproves of any humour that belittles people or makes light of immortality.  Sin is never a laughing matter.

 

Joe E Brown was a top-notch film and Broadway comedian of the World War II era.  When entertaining American troops in the South Pacific, he was asked by a soldier to tell some dirty jokes.  He responded, “Son, a comedian like me lives for applause and laughter … But if telling a dirty story is the price I must pay for your laughter, then I’m not interested. I’ve never done an act that I couldn’t perform before my mother, and I never will.”  The soldiers rocked the jungle with their cheers.

 

Lord, give us a merry heart.  And help us be discerning so that we will laugh the right reasons and about the right things. –Herb Vander Lugt

Laughter is like music

That lingers in the heart;

And when its melody is heard,

The ills of life depart. –Anon

 

Wholesome laughter has great face value.

 

Prayer:

 

¨ Continue to uphold Andrew & Samantha Bryan and family as they move to Brisbane.

 

¨ Ask God to continue opening doors as they set up the new Head Quarters of Student Life in Brisbane.