A Merry Spirit

 I just wrote a ginormous little article over at my 'mommy blog' about laughing at the tragic irony of the narcissists in my life, and today I ran across this article about charitably using humor against foolish or evil ideals.  I'm a huge fan of G.K. Chesterton, Jane Austen, and the Babylon Bee/Not the Bee, as all of them have true wit, expose folly, and never use humor to attack or personally harm another living soul, rather they ridicule the runaway ideas of their day and encourage people to take a second look at the nonsense they are espousing.  I vaguely remembered a couple Proverbs about just that and thanks to the interweb, I can magically provide them: 15:13 and 17:22, but they can be summarize with a merry heart heals while a broken spirit shrivels.  I can't undo the wounds of the past, I can only laugh at the behavior and ideas of those inflicting them, that they take a less central part in my soul and history, allowing me to move on and heal rather than dwelling upon them ad infinitum.  Too many of those who are highly outspoken about their particular crusade, on whichever end of the spectrum, will not be reasoned with, will hear nothing a heretic will say, but perhaps they might be willing to laugh at themselves, if so there is hope, if not, I fear their cause and soul are doomed.

The Book of Jonah is one such example.  We all know it as a children's tale about a guy who gets eaten by a large aquatic organism.  But have you actually read it?  It is a wonderful example of satire warning against our presumptions about God's character and actions, modern day Trumpian Prophets would do well to take heed!  The Bible isn't a dry, repetitive book of impossible children's tales, rather it is as chockfull of one-liners, zingers, and pointed humor as Hamlet or Pride and Prejudice.  Job, Esther, and Proverbs all have their humorous or ironic parts to say nothing of scenes like David acting the madman, Mary Magdalene mistaking the newly risen Jesus for the gardener, Rhoda leaving Peter standing at the door while everybody else is praying for his release from prison, and angels asking the mystified disciples why they are standing there staring at the sky.  It is a very human book or rather The Human Book written specifically for our good and edification and dare I say amusement?

Many of our modern zealots (for whatever cause) have lost their sense of humor and thus their purpose, the Bible has not, neither should the church.  Humor and mirth are as much a part of life and your soul as sorrow and sin, and woe to the man or nation who forgets how to laugh, grieve or repent or believes himself above such paltry concerns.  Wit can be a powerful healing tool, but like any weapon or tool, it can also be used to inflict great harm, enjoy with caution!