LAUGHTER AFTER ALL
By Martha Bolton

I heard about a man whose tombstone read simply, "Been here. Had a good time. Gone." That inscription says a lot.

We should have a good time in life. The Bible makes many references to how joy and laughter should be part of the Christian walk. I believe that's because our Lord has a pretty good sense of humor Himself.

Remember the story of Baalam and Balak (Nm. 22-33)? Balak was King of the Moabites, and he wanted Baalam to come and curse the Israelites for him. God, of course, wasn't going to let this happen, so while Baalam was on the way to Balak's place, God caused Baalam's donkey to stop dead in his tracks three times. Each time Baalam struck the animal, trying to get him to get moving.

Finally, when God had enough, He allowed the donkey to voice his displeasure. "Hey, man, get off my back! You've already put 100,000 miles on me. Don't you think by now I know what I'm doing?" (Well, those weren't the donkey's exact words, but they're close.) The donkey went on to explain to Baalam that the reason he'd stopped was because an angel of the Lord was blocking his path.

Now, let's face it, God could have spoken to Baalam through thunder. He could have had the angel tell him to quit hitting the donkey. But he allowed the donkey to speak for himself. That had to have been a pretty funny story when Baalam retold it to his friends and neighbors---after he recovered from the initial shock, that is.

I also think it must have been pretty funny when Baalam finally did arrive at Balak's place. Balak was fully expecting him to curse the Israelites, but all that comes out Baalam's mouth was, "Hey, you guys are awesome! May you win all your battles and long be victorious!" (Or words to that effect.)

I have a feeling the Almighty must have had a pretty good laugh watching Balak's face as Baalam delivered that blessing. That's just one story in the Bible that I feel illustrates a divine sense of humor. There are others, but the bottom line is that God created us in His image, and that includes having the ability to laugh. His words tell us to be cheerful and live in his joy. He wants us to be happy. He enjoys the laughter of His people

"The cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:5)