Writes Solomon, “I said of laughter, ‘It is madness.'” (Ecclesiastes 2:2) 

Who am I to argue with Solomon? For one thing, having the “wisdom of Solomon” is the epitome of wisdom-having. Like having the “singing skills of Carrie Underwood.”

Second, he seems to be right. In an evil world filled with disease, destruction and deceit, you’d have to be mentally off to find anything funny. 

“How can you laugh when there are people starving?”

“Uh, I’m not laughing at the people starving. I’m laughing because this bald kid rolling around on the floor with a beagle is hysterical. 

How can you be so happy? Splashing in a puddle in the middle of a hard rain. Celebrating even when soaked. Having a joyful heart in a junked-up world. Madness.

Third, laughter puts us at risk. That’s madness. Even Chuck Norris would get his fanny whipped if he was busy laughing when the bad guys barged through the door. Laughter leaves us wide open physically or emotionally. It leaves us exposed.

Finding joy in a fallen world? Deliberately opening up our body and soul, risking hurt?  You must be out of your mind!  

Sound familiar? Where have we heard that before? When challenged for our faith, for our joy, for giving our lives over to Christ, people say, “Dude’s crazy.” Paul says, “If we are ‘out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God.” (2 Corinthians 5:13)

“There you go again,” those same people may say, “tying laughter to God.”

Yes, I am. And here’s the punchline: So did Solomon. 

Laughter is Praise

“Laughter is madness,” Solomon said. Funny thing is, Ecclesiastes is about the only time the word is translated “madness.” The Hebrew word “halal” appears 165 times in the Old Testament. Nearly every other time it is translated as “praise.” 

Laughter is praise! Hallelujah! 

We talk about crying out to the Lord. We’re good at that. But when we laugh in joy and thanksgiving, we laugh out to the Lord. Hearty, healthy laughter is a joyful noise. Don’t you tend to look up when laughing? No one hangs their head in mirth. 

What a great word, mirth. It’s defined as “glee, merriment, jollity, joviality.” And “the gaiety characterizing people who are enjoying the companionship of others.”

Jesus calls believers “friend.” (John 15:15) Oh, the gaiety of His companionship. It can’t help but give us a merry heart. And as Proverbs tells us, “a merry heart does good, like medicine.” Thanks to Reader’s Digest, we say it as “Laughter is the best medicine.” 

Find a Time to Praise, Find a Time to Laugh

Let’s pray: Lord, help us take our “medicine.” Hang out with us. Be the companion who brings gaiety, who fills us with laughter and cheer as we go about the day. Let our laughter shoot upward as praise and rain down onto others. 

Let them say we are out of our minds for you.