Daily devotion – The joy of the Lord and laughter.
A merry heart is good medicine.
Pro 17:22 A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
When I first became a Christian, I struggled with certain things. One of those was trying to appear “spiritual” or “godly” by having a countenance that projected solemnity and seriousness at all times. As a child, my image of someone who was godly—like some of the priests in our local church—was a person who never smiled and always seemed stoic.
So in my mind, that became the model I thought I should follow. But this is not biblical at all. Such attention to outward appearance can become more about acting, pride and self-righteousness than true godliness.
God has given us the capacity to laugh and the emotion of humour.
I have always understood Proverbs 17:22 to mean that a joyful and happy heart brings good health physically, emotionally and spiritually. But perhaps the verse is broader in its scope and also includes the effect our joy can have upon others.
Laughter can be contagious. Like when someone yawns and you suddenly yawn as well, hearing genuine joy from another person can lift your own spirit.
One of the youngest saints in our family has a certain laugh that is golden, whenever I hear it, it fills me with absolute joy. It is like a song to my soul. That innocent laughter becomes good medicine not only to the one laughing, but also to those who hear it.
Find someone who truly loves Christ and is filled with the joy of the Lord, and spend time around them. Listen in…and you too may receive a blessing just as they have.
Neh 8:10 …for the joy of the LORD is your strength.