PLYMOUTH – Somewhere along the way the word has gotten out among the Christian community, that being a Christian requires somberness and a totally serious countenance that visually proclaims the occupant of this body is “holy”.
There are those who feel that in order to be "truly spiritual", one must wear scratchy burlap underwear, eat cold lumpy oatmeal, live without air conditioning, and wear dark clothes. And whatever you do, you must not laugh in a worship service or have any sort of outward expression of joy in a public place.
To do so, would place you among those who do not take their religion seriously, but treat it in a frivolous manner.
I cannot tell you the number of times some solidified saint has quoted, "The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent." (Now of course they have no idea where that passage is located in the Bible, but it sounds good!)
The problem is that those who advocate warmed over death as the proper deportment of a Believer, must deny a major portion of God’s Word. The Psalms, though dealing with great adversity and pain, still bubble over with joy.
How could the Psalmist sing Psalm 100 and not be expressive of his joy for our Lord. The very words in the Hebrew text for "praise" have within their definition and meaning, "verbal and outward expression".
I can just see some fellow out there who doesn't know the Lord, observing some Christian from the First Church of the Frigidaire. He comes to an obvious conclusion that Christians look like they were baptized in lemon juice and weaned on a dill pickle. Their face has the appearance of an English Bulldog and they sanctimoniously spout, "I don't do this, or that or anything that even comes close to being fun. Don't you want to be just like me?"
The Word tells us over and over "His joy is our strength". The Book of Philippians is replete with the subject of joy. I believe that when Jesus got away with the disciples and as they sat around the campfire, there was a great deal of laughter and joy. I’ll bet that even old Peter told a joke or two. By the way, here are a few good lines that should bring a smile to your face.
Things You Do Not Want to Hear in Surgery
Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
Somebody call the janitor - we're going to need a mop
'Accept this sacrifice, O Great Lord of Darkness'
Sparky! Come back with that! Bad Dog!
Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what's that?
Hand me that ... uh ... that uh ..... thingie.
Oh no! I just lost my Rolex.
Oops! Hey, has anyone ever survived a full hypo of this stuff before?
Everybody stand back! I lost my contact lens!
Could you stop that thing from beating -- it's throwing my concentration off.
What's this doing here?
I hate it when they're missing stuff in here.
That's cool! Now can you make his leg twitch?!
I wish I hadn't forgotten my glasses.
Well folks, this will be an experiment for all of us.
Sterile, shcmeril. The floor's clean, right?
Anyone see where I left that scalpel?
Next, we remove the subject's brain and place it in the body of the ape.
Now take a picture from this angle. This is truly a freak of nature.
This patient has already had some kids, am I correct?
Nurse, did this patient sign the organ donation card?
Don't worry. I think it is sharp enough.
What do you mean 'You want a divorce'!
She's gonna blow! Everyone take cover!!!
FIRE! FIRE! Everybody get out!
Now admit it. You laughed. If you didn’t, you are probably scheduled for surgery this week. It is my opinion that we, who are representing heaven as its future occupants, have somewhere along the way lost the knowledge of the fact that we will be rejoicing for all eternity. We need to "lighten up" some. Laugh and have fun. Don’t take yourself or life so seriously. Express the true joy of Jesus.
I would much rather be happy than be an old sour puss. Happiness is infectious. Let's pray our whole community will come down with a serious case of it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Patterson is Executive Director/Treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Elected unanimously in May of 2015, Patterson formerly served for 9 years as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla. He also served as trustee chair and national mobilizer for the North American Mission Board.