September 4 - Laughing Along The Way

Laughing Along The Way

“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him…” (Luke 24:16)

Humor comes in many forms.  While we don’t always recognize the methods, we can generally understand the madness.  Lauren Wires, an author, shares several types of humor we see in life and how we can dissect which ones we use or prefer in our favorite movies or television shows:

1. Laugh-at-life humor

Pulitzer Prize Winning Humorist Dave Barry would be among your favorites. This humor is very easy to laugh about something annoying. People like to be around these people because of their  sunny outlook. When something bad happens to them, they are likely to take a deep breath and look for the absurd in the situation — and then laugh about it.

2. Slapstick comedy

You think "Airplane" was the best movie ever made. Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges are classics in your book. Slapstick comedy relies on physical humor, pranks and absurd situations for laughs.

3. Sarcasm

The Daily Show is on the list of their favorite programs. While great fun and appropriate, it has to be tempered, as sarcasm can come off as unnecessarily harsh.  However, it has its place in the humor world.

4. Self-deprecating humor

This is used when people make fun of themselves.  They like to play the clown and feel some kinship with famously self-deprecating comedians, like Chris Farley and John Belushi. They feel most comfortable laughing when they’re making fun of themselves.

5. Jokes at others’ expense

Think Don Rickels. They don’t have a problem making fun of other people. In fact, it’s the way they are most likely to make a joke. Ridicule, teasing, and sarcasm can occur to rib a “well known” friendship, but requires discernment.

All of these, and many more, are used to tickle our funny bone.  However, one of the oldest devices in comedy is that of mistaken identity. You’ve see it played out in some of your favorite shows and movies and we can even find it in the Bible.  And it is often the source of both laughter, and confusion.

A woman named Lidia DeGormez and her husband were in the hospital waiting room shortly before the birth of their second child. They met a young couple also waiting for the wife to deliver. Lidia’s husband commented that the two mothers-to-be looked so much alike they could be twins. Before long, both soon-to-be-moms went into the delivery room. Lidia’s baby, a girl, was born first. Lidia was covered up almost completely as they took her down the hall to await a room. Still a bit groggy, she barely noticed when the husband of the other lady greeted her and said, “Congratulations, dear, for having a daughter!” A friend with him also congratulated her. After a minute he came over to her bed again. “That labor took it out of you; you look different.” “Must have been the air conditioning in the delivery room,” Lidia mumbled sleepily. “Oh, I am just so happy you had a baby girl!” He happily repeated as he bent down to kiss Lidia on the lips. All at once, in her foggy state, it dawned on Lidia. “Sir, I believe you have me confused with your wife. She is still in the delivery room!” He, of course, was horribly embarrassed, especially when the attending nurses told his wife about it!

You remember the story that is a serious passage with a whole lot of humor in it. It was on that first Easter Sunday. Christ had been resurrected, but He had not shown Himself to all of His disciples. Two of them were headed out of Jerusalem toward a village called Emmaus, about a seven mile journey. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself, came up and walked along with them, but they didn’t recognize Him.

The Living Bible says, “But God kept them from recognizing Him.” Now that is interesting. Was this some kind of test? Christ asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” The two disciples stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” the stranger asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people…”

Who says Jesus didn’t have a sense of humor.  “What things?” said our Savior in order to evoke their reply.  Shortly after, when He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while H+e talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They returned at once to Jerusalem. There they met the other disciples who told them, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”

Christ is with us and in every part of what we are doing today.  The question, “Do you see Him?”  Ask Him to reveal Himself to you by saying, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.”   Chances are, you’ll find a whole lot of laughter along the way.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)   What humor can you find in the post-resurrection appearance to the

       two men?

2)   What limits your eyes from seeing Him in your daily walk?

Consider reading the Word today:

Copyright 2014- Terry Risser