On the Light Side

  "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!" Proverbs 4:7

  Solomon has made me chuckle at this little gem. It serves to remind me that opening my Bible doesn't have to be so darn serious all the time. There's room for a little levity. Besides, a laugh often drives a lesson home. Especially when it is at my own expense!
  While Solomon comes down hard on foolishness or being a fool in many of his other words to the wise, I have to think about what Jesus meant by coming before the Lord as a little child.
  Age seems to drive out the ability to laugh freely and take joy in the moment. Is laughter an expression of creativity? Of whimsy? Of imagination? Of breaking free of the solemnity that seems to be the universal rule of conduct for adulthood?
  When did laughter become inappropriate?
  Or maybe it's just me who finds that laughter is a rare event. Hmmm...when did I come to believe that laughter was inappropriate?
  Maybe, somewhere along the line, I have forgotten how to have fun. Although laughter isn't necessarily a barometer of enjoyment.
  But here's the thing, our ability to laugh comes from God.
  As Adam named the animals, he must have laughed with sheer delight at the ingenuity of our Creator. He must have laughed at some of the strange and wonderful beasts the Lord brought before him. Then there's puppies.Who can't help but laugh at puppies! (Or if you are a cat person, kittens.) I bet Adam laughed over some of the names he doled out as well especially as names began to run out so he was left scrabbling for some sort of identifier.
  Were sheep named because Adam looked at them and had no idea what to name these clouds with legs on them so in frustration he said, "Sheeeeesh!"
  I bet God laughed with him, delighting in Adam's delight.
 
  Lord, I have to thank You for taking me in this direction today. Yesterday was a tough day with the anxiety running full throttle. Starting today with a smile and a burst of imagination silliness has brought some fun into my life. You always know what I need. AMEN!