I have a great sense of humor.
That’s not bragging—it’s a fact. I inherited it from my parents, though it took me a few years to fully walk in such joy.
Just today my mom reminded me where my dry wit came from.
Mom: You’re going to a concert tonight ’til midnight, then getting up to teach at 5 A.M. tomorrow?
(I sighed. I’d bought the tickets to LCU’s Christian concert months before I’d been asked to fill in for a teacher on maternity leave.)
Me: Yes, but I figured if I could stay out partying all night and still get up early the next morning, surely I could spend the night worshiping and do the same.
Mom: That’s a great way to look at it.
(Happy that she recognized the truth I’d been standing on all day, I headed upstairs. I’d barely made it to the landing when she continued…)
Mom: Of course, you’re not as young as you were then either.
I laughed. Self-deprecation is only healthy if you’re in on the joke.
My dad uses humor as a lightening agent. It doesn’t matter how heavy the struggle; he has the ability to poke fun at each situation until he’s turned it from drama to sitcom.
It’s one of the things I love most about him.
A conflict can become a heavy burden, but humor lightens the load. Resentments can build up, offenses can multiply, but laughter can take the bite out of the battle.
Laughter doesn’t mean you haven’t taken things seriously, either. It means you’ve chosen joy in the midst of the burden. That is, after all, biblical:
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. — Proverbs 17:22
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. — Proverbs 31:25
A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. — Proverbs 15:13
My parents have modeled this faith-meets-joy disposition my entire life. I knew I’d inherited their sense of humor. I’ve been clever. I’ve been snarky. I’ve been witty.
But now I’m learning to load up laughter like a semiautomatic weapon against Satan’s darkness.
I’m learning to always choose joy.
faith unfaded 
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