Did you know that people who laugh live longer? It’s true.
Israel’s King Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live, wrote this: “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” (Proverbs 14:30)
Humor is an amazing thing. It’s a tension dissolver. It’s an antidote to anxiety. It’s just like a tranquilizer, but without any troublesome side-effects. And it’s free! You don’t even need a prescription!
Laughter is life’s shock absorber. If you want to have less stress in your life, learn to laugh at your circumstances.
Someone once asked U.S. President Abraham Lincoln how he handled all the stresses of the Civil War. He said, “If it hadn’t been for laughter, I could not have made it.”
Many famous comedians grew up in poor neighborhoods with lots of problems. They coped with their troubles by learning to laugh and making others laugh.
So learn to laugh. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. And besides, if you learn to laugh at your troubles, you’ll never run out of anything to laugh at!
Life is full of funny situations. The cowboy comedian Will Rogers once said, “I don’t know any jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”
And if you’re wondering what God thinks about laughter, check out this verse in Psalm 2:4: “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.” Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs! Proverbs also says that a merry heart is good, like a medicine.
I loved a story a dear friend told me a few years back. She and her husband had gone on a trip and were miles from home. All of a sudden, with absolutely no warning, their car quit. The transmission just quit working. They were on their way to a wedding, they were running a little late and they were in the middle of nowhere. That’s where their car quit.
What would your reaction be? Do you know what my friend did? She started laughing — and not a little snicker, mind you. She busted out laughing! Her husband had already started turning red with anger when he looked at her in wide-eyed disbelief. She simply said, “What other option do we have?” and within a brief moment both of them were laughing.
If you ask me, that’s what this laughter thing is all about. It changes things. It’s contagious. It’s good for you and God loves it!
Have you ever seen the face of an orangutan? God thought that one up! The duck-billed platypus? Hey, that was His idea too! That proves he has a sense of humor. Do you want to be more like God? Let me encourage you — learn to laugh. It will bless your soul and probably those around you, too!
As you gather together this Thanksgiving, take a moment to give thanks for laughter and have a few chuckles around the table, too!