I got a package in the mail full of sticky notes, each of them written by a different student at a camp where I had served earlier this summer.
Words are my love language all day every day, so reading through these little notes was a total joy. I came across this one, and it registered with something deep in me.
“You bring great healing through laughter.”
I’ve always been the class clown. You can ask any of our (in)courage writers — if there is a serious conversation going on, I’m probably going to pipe in with some dumb comment that tries to get a little laugh (or I’m going to be formulating them in my mind but keeping quiet because I’m an adult and I’ve learned comedic timing…most of the time 🙂 ).
But what goes along with being the class clown is the insecurity that your serious self will never be enough — that the reason people bring you around is because they need some levity. The lie is whispered, “You are funny, but your opinions don’t actually matter. Stay the joker; don’t try to be wise council.”
BUT I LOVE BEING FUNNY, YOU GUYS. I JUST CAN’T HELP IT.
I come by it honest; my dad is a CPA who does stand-up comedy on the side. (Seriously.) And so my nature and my nurture say that being funny is the right choice, but often the funny ones aren’t taken seriously or respected. And that’s hard. And sometimes the funny girl feels like the least needed character in the story.
This one sticky note reminded me of why we need the class clown- healing comes through laughter.
We need the serious ones around us, the ones who make us think and make us wonder and call us to be better. But, we need the yahoos, too — the ones who, as Proverbs 31 says, laugh at the days to come. The ones who see a situation and can pull out the humor and joy and show us the lightness, even in dark moments.
We are the body of Christ and God has called somebody to be the funny bone.
If that’s you, be brave. Be funny. Celebrate your wit and humor and know you are a vital part of the family of God.
If that isn’t you, if humor isn’t your natural go-to, celebrate the funny ones in your life. They wear different lenses when looking at the world. They need you and you need them.
And if you need some healing today? Laugh. Make someone else laugh. Bring laughter into your home, your life, your friendships. You need a class clown in your life because sometimes those are the exact people God uses to bring about the healing you’ve waited for.
Tell us … Who in your life makes you laugh?
. . . . .
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