The Toronto BlessingWhat then is actually happening today? Mrs Mumford supplies us with a picture. "The most wonderful things are happening [in our own church in the last week], and the most ordinary and normal of people are behaving in a most abnormal way. But it is so delightful, and so freeing, and so healing, and we've laughed like we've never laughed before, and God is bringing healing to our bodies and to our hearts just by laughter. It says in the proverbs that 'Laughter is like medicine to the soul', and so its proving to be." However, when we look up that quotation from Scripture, we find it hard to find. There appears to be no such verse in Proverbs. In connection with 'medicine' we find the following: "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones". Proverbs 17:22 The NIV states "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." proverbs 17:22 The word for "merry" or "cheerful" does not mean laughter. What if we look up the word "laughter"? What we find becomes very disturbing indeed. The nearest statements of Scripture to laughter being an expression Of joy is, "Our mouths were/tiled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'" Psalm 126:2 That is one of the most positive statements Scripture records concerning laughter as an expression of true joy. There's also Job; "He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing." Job 8:21 Then we note that in the Gospel records, Jesus makes both a positive and negative statement with respect to laughter: "Blessed are you who hunger now. For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep." Luke 6:21,25 However, the greater majority of references refer to laughter as an expression of scorn, and especially of judgement: "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief." Proverbs 14:13 "'Laughter,' I said, 'is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?'" Eccles. 2:2 "A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Eccles. 7:3 "Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart." Eccles. 3:4 These quotations are not exhaustive, but representative, summed up perhaps by the last reference we have in Scripture to laughter: "Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:9 Laughter is certainly not the last word, nor the most desirable expression of joy. While we are unable to give an exhaustive analysis on the verses, it is obvious that the last quotation seems the very opposite of what is presently advocated!
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Copyright © 2002 Homerton Baptist Church. |
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