Ever get the feeling that someone has set you up and a prank is about to land on your front door step? How about having to play innocent when it's clear you are guilty? Maybe you knew about the surprise birthday party and played along anyway. There are lots of times when we "play the game". Sometimes it turns from innocence to guilt. Sometimes it turns from good to bad and sometimes it's just funny. I have a lot of funny things in my life that happened when I was trying to be serious. Being in the middle of a very serious conversation over a business proposition when the man I was talking with quietly mentions my zipper was open is one that comes to mind. There is no recovery from that! Ever try to train your dog or cat only to have them do something totally out of character and cause you to wish you had video rolling? How about when you are at a family gathering and your 3 year old blurts out something private like it's normal? There are lots of times when our seriousness is broken up with funny events. There are also times when our seriousness is broken up with tragic events because we couldn't be funny or engage funny.
If you are like me there are lines you have drawn in your life where no one is allowed to step over. Don't insult my wife. Don't push your agenda on me. Don't do anything to mess with my kids or cause them to not be safe. Don't talk behind my back. You get the picture. we all have lines drawn in the sand that we don't cross and don't let others cross. It's a preservation and protection thing. I believe that Jesus was both serious and funny. I don't read about jokes he told but he probably knew a few. He too had lines where no one was allowed to step across. One such line was drawn when he chased the money changers out of the temple. Transgressing against the Father's house was a line drawn in concrete. He went to parties and had a good time. Yet, he drew the line at creating some wine for the party. When we consider the times we have drawn the line only to cross it ourselves; there is some hilarity that goes along with the seriousness of the situation. There is the saying that "we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously." It's true. We should take Jesus seriously though. That means when I talk about Jesus laughing, partying, and playing soccer with the disciples or children I'm not stepping over the line. There is a time for seriousness and a time for funny. At least Solomon said so.
When we approach others to have a serious talk about Jesus we need to keep all of this in mind. If people don't know much we care, they won't care about how much we know. It's a simple formula. KISS=keep it simple Steven! We can use words like pontification but really what people want to hear is that we love them. Nothing fancy but the love of God in deed more than word. When we are funny and serious at the same time we are seen as real and approachable. When we are funny and serious at the same time some Christians see us as irreverent. When we are funny and serious at the same time we are pleasing to God. Understanding the Holy Spirit is directing the funny and serious is vital to pleasing God. Being able to laugh at yourself as well as other events is totally good! There is a time for funny and a time for serious. Funny can lead to serious. Serious can then ask the question: "Would you like to know Jesus as your Savior?" There is nothing funny about that question. However, we can laugh with Jesus for the rest of our lives here on earth and then for eternity in Heaven. I've been to serious and to funny but the best part of both worlds is found when I realize that God has me in his hands in both situations. God wants us to be able to laugh at ourselves as well as seriously share the love of God. Sometimes that is when we are playing soccer or trying to train our children or dogs. all of this requires we make a choice. Are you ready to choose Jesus? It's your choice.
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