Why Can’t Some Christians Take a Joke?
Okay, let's get started, saints. Recently, I've seen something, and as a new Christian, I can't remain quiet about it any more. Why do some of you act as though it's wrong to laugh? You're out here scolding laughter like it's a monster, after all. I'm wondering whether we read the same Bible because it's giving me the "thou shalt not laugh" vibe.
Joyless Christians Are a Struggle
According to the Bible, our power comes from the joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10). Why do some Christians appear to be spiritually starved if joy gives us strength? I'm referring to those people who sit in the pews and frown all the time, condemning anyone who has the audacity to smile too much. Are you alright, ma'am? Are you in need of a hug? Or take a nap? Your current mood is more "please pass the bitterness" than "filled with the Spirit."
The Case of the Seafood Prophet
In Bible study, I once made an innocent joke. Let me tell you about it. "Jonah probably smelled like three-day-old catfish when he came out of that fish," I added. You would think I had insulted Moses' sandals because the place became so quiet. "We shouldn't joke about God's Word like that," one sister exclaimed, clutching her pearls (she wasn't wearing any, but you could sense it). Jonah's obedience isn't nullified because I joked about seafood, sis. I'm merely stating that Febreze most likely would have need it if he had been around at the time.
Jesus was a humorous person.
Now, let's take a moment to discuss Jesus. You all know that he laughed, don't you? He had to, after all. The team undoubtedly made some jokes as he was out and about with a group of fishermen and a tax collector. He roasted individuals, too. You know the disciples were like, "Oh, snap!" when He compared the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). Was that what he just said? Jesus did not appear to be Eeyore as he walked around. We are expected to emulate His joyous demeanor.
Overdose of Religion
Here's what I've discovered, though. Some Christians are so preoccupied with their faith that they neglect their relationships. To demonstrate their holiness, they adhere to a set of rules:
- No smiling,Â
- no laughing,Â
- and never, ever dance, unless it's a languid sway to "I Surrender All."
Look, you don't get saved by always being serious. It makes people avoid you, if anything. If we are going about our lives as if we have never heard a joke, how are we supposed to draw others to Christ?
Genuine Conversation: Examining Fruits
Let's examine the fruit briefly. Love, joy, and kindness are listed as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23, correct? However, some of you are out here with fruit that looks more like "stay off my pew please," bitterness, and judgment. That's compost, not fruit.
It's Spiritual to Laugh
Did you realize that there are health benefits to laughing? According to science, it strengthens your immune system and lowers stress. Therefore, laughter can be thought of as saying, "Take that, devil!" It is an act of spirituality. Let's face it, life is difficult for some of us, so we need to laugh more. Gas prices are rising, bills are due, and inflation has made your favorite munchies smaller. We will simply cry if we are unable to laugh about part of it, and no one wants that.
My Disillusionment as a New Believer
I'll tell you the truth. I expected a community full of love, joy, and individuals who know how to have fun while following Jesus because I'm new to this faith. Rather, I have encountered people who treat happiness as if it were a finite resource. It is disheartening. We should be living examples of God's goodness, right? The bad news is that no one wants to follow a Savior whose followers appear to be in misery.
Let’s Lighten Up
So, here’s my challenge to the joyless saints: loosen up. Crack a smile. Laugh at a corny joke. And if someone makes a harmless quip about Jonah smelling like calamari, let it slide. Life is too short and eternity is too long to spend it looking sour.
Jesus gave us freedom, not a frown. Let’s be the kind of Christians who make people say, “I don’t know what they have, but I want it.” Because right now, some of us are making people say, “If that’s what Christianity is, I’ll pass.”
Concluding remarks
After all, we are only human. We laugh, we make mistakes, and occasionally we make offensive jokes. But isn't that the beauty of life? We were called by God to be His, not to be flawless. Let's embrace the happiness, spread the laughing, and demonstrate to the world that being a follower of Jesus is the greatest thing ever, even if it involves the odd joke about shrimp.
You can now laugh—it's biblical.