Traveling the Rock Road

The other week I had my 8-year-old granddaughter in the car with me and we were discussing our family on such deep topics such as who has the best voice, who’s the smartest, who’s the most serious and so forth. That’s when she looked at me with a mischievous grin and said “But you’re the craziest Grandpa!” She shrilled with laughter when I gave her a little poke mostly from knowing she had just made a funny at my expense. Truthfully though she’s right, I’m the one who usually does or says silly things to bring a bit of levity into almost any situation. You see I don’t believe there’s any more beautiful sound as that of laughter, particularly children’s laughter and the joy that comes with it.  I’m sure that stems from my childhood and the man who had the biggest influence on me back then.

Mom and I lived with my great aunt and uncle and he was a very stern and sober individual. He believed and tried to drill into my head that foolishness was just that and was worthless in a man’s life, unless of course you were using it to make fun and ridicule another person, a practice he seemed to enjoy doing to me constantly and especially in front of others. There were times his hateful and sarcastic remarks were more than I could handle and I just wanted to run as far away as I could get from him and the laughter. So having a indoctrination like that to laughter, it comes as no surprise that as I grew older I put on a hard façade; my way to telling others “You make fun of me and we’re going to have a major problem. Oh, and by the way, it’s okay if I do it to you.”  Funny how that works, without realizing it you can become the person or the attitude that you detest the most.

It wasn’t until caring people took me aside to explain laughter, especially at yourself, isn’t a bad thing and it doesn’t have to mean someone is being hateful to you. Some of the best comedians on TV make themselves the brunt of every joke while at the same time being some of the most caring people you’d ever meet. After becoming a Christian I made an amazing discovery, laughter is an important emotion God has given us as well as part of who I am in Christ.

Luke 6:21 “Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.”

Psalm 126:2-3 “Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs. Then the nations said, “The LORD has done spectacular things for them.” The LORD has done spectacular things for us. We are overjoyed.”

Job 8:21 “He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”

Proverbs 15:15 “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”

You see there was a time I thought that being a Christian meant not having fun, or laughing, or even being silly from time to time, when actually we’re called to be joyous and happy in Christ. That’s not to say life is always rosy as a believer, we all know that’s not the way it works. But Jesus wants us to look at the big picture and see no matter what, He’s there for us.  And when this run we call life is over there’s more joy than we can ever imagine waiting for us.

Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

So as Travelers of the Rock Road, learn to be joyful, laugh, even be a bit silly!

Two of my favorite Max Lucado quotes:

“Be a child again. Flirt. Giggle. Dip your cookies in your milk. Take a nap. Say you’re sorry if you hurt someone. Chase a butterfly. Be a child again.”

“I Choose Joy…I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.”

So I gladly accept and wear proudly the title “Silliest of the Family.” If it can show even one person, the joy that comes in Christ, then it’s all worth it.

Besides, if you’re in Christ, aren’t you called “Peculiar People”?  That’s Titus 2:14. KJV 🙂

See ya next time.