“The Ministry of Humor”
By Robert Oglesby
Here are some letters from little kids to their preacher:
Dear Preacher – I would like to go to heaven someday because I know my brother won’t be there!
Dear Preacher – I think a lot more people would come to your church if you moved it to Disneyland.
Dear Preacher – Please say a prayer for our Little League team. We either need heaven’s help or a new pitcher.
Dear Preacher – I liked your sermon on Sunday, especially when it was finished.
O.K., so those are cute stories, but why waste bulletin space on such light-hearted things?
Remember Norman Cousins? Many years ago he was diagnosed as “terminally ill” and given only six months to live. He decided that worry and depression had gotten him into his illness, so perhaps, positive good humor could get him back to health.
His pain was so great that he could not sleep at night, but he found that ten minutes of laughter allowed him to sleep for several hours. He rented comedy films. He asked his friends to share good jokes and funny stories. He literally filled his life as much as possible with laughter.
Guess what? He recovered and lived another twenty happy and healthy years.
Some people think laughter is a waste of time. Others act as though it is a useless evil. Research has continued into the effect of laughter, and studies suggest it does indeed have a beneficial effect on physical and emotional health.
So if you’re feeling bad, try laughter. If your body is hurting, fill your mind with funny stories. Emphasize the lighter side of life.
P.S. Would you like a scripture for that? Try Proverbs 17:22 where the wise man, Solomon writes:
“A JOYFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE”
Via The Park Avenue church bulletin–Charleston, WV