IT is a known fact that the human being is the only creation on earth who has the gift to laugh. Medical knowledge points out that humor is one therapy that can assuage the pain and depression when one undergoes storms in life. It’s because humor releases endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are stimulated by positive emotions. Humor goes hand-in-hand with a strong faith in one’s heart especially when tragic things happen in life. Because people who lack faith in meeting their crisis and are not gifted with humor deal life’s problems with anger and hostility as they face the world.
People who lack faith are easily agitated and irritated. They are touchy, they are easily provoked to anger and are slow to see amusement in life’s negative experiences. This is the observation of Robert H. Schuller, in his book,"Tough-Minded Faith for Tender-Hearted People."
Some people may find it weird when someone laughs or is amused at the middle of a crisis in life. But Schuller looks at this kind of thinking in another perspective. He says: “Humor is part of the healing process. It is not irrelevant to welcome comedy in the middle of tragedy. It is God’s design to relax the tension of grief. Humor in times of horrific hurt will contribute to the healing and comfort so desperately needed in times of despair.”
Humor goes along fine with faith because they are the two faces of a coin. Schuller has this to say: “Faith bears all things. What do you do when you trust someone, and let you down. Faith allows through on your part of the bargain. When someone leave you stranded, not sharing part of the burden? Faith carries on without them.
According to Schuller, faith is an inner conviction. It is an unshakable assurance. It is the profound knowing that comes before reality confirms it. The person who walks with faith, no matter how small it might be, even if it is as small as a mustard seed can detach himself from negative scenarios. He knows he can do it with God’s help. Deep down in his heart, he knows it will work out.
There was a story, as related by Schuller, while he was walking along the beach in Hawaii. He noticed two native Hawaiians in the shallow surf. They held a little screen between them, which they where shacking back and forth. He walked over to them and inquired, “What are you looking for?” They named a little ocean creature that he never heard of. He watched them pick a little beetle off the screen and put it in a can with several others. Then they casually discarded several attractive seashells. “You threw away some pretty seashells,” he exclaimed. They looked at him incredulously, but answered perfectly by saying, “You can’t catch fish with shells, but with these beetles, we catch big fish, food for our family.”
What then is the implication of the story. Schuller has this explanation: “Faith is the fine art of compromising wisely. Shells are trivials. They are pretty but not life-supporting. Fish is basic. It is food to sustain health and strength. There is always danger of being distracted from the basics of life being attracted to the trivial.”
Life is a matter of laughing up the storm in life with faith. In this vein, to make your day sunny and light, here’s some wise thought to say in one’s heart, according to Schuller: “Today, I will resolve to bring laughter to life. I can always purchase balloons, blow them up, and watch children laugh as I release that balloons to sail off to the little hands of the child. Today, I’ll prove to the world “I’m a believer and I’ll laugh a lot.”
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