March 13, 2026
Humor, The Sixth Sense
Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Beyond our five physical senses lies another capacity equally vital to human flourishing—our sense of humor. This remarkable ability to find joy in life’s incongruities, to laugh at ourselves, and to discover lightness even in weighty circumstances serves as more than mere entertainment. It functions as a spiritual barometer, revealing much about our inner condition.
Scripture doesn’t present God as a somber deity. When Sarah, at ninety years old, gave birth to Isaac (whose name literally means “laughter”), she declared, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me” (Genesis 21:6). This divine gift of unexpected joy transformed her skeptical laugh of disbelief into genuine laughter of fulfillment.
A healthy sense of humor indicates several spiritual qualities. It reveals humility—the ability to laugh at ourselves demonstrates we don’t take ourselves too seriously even while taking God very seriously. It shows perspective—finding humor in difficulties suggests we can see beyond present troubles. It demonstrates faith—genuine laughter amid trials indicates confidence that God remains in control.
Conversely, the absence of humor often signals spiritual concerns. Proverbs contrasts the “cheerful heart” with a “crushed spirit,” suggesting that losing our ability to laugh may indicate inner depletion. When religious leaders became indignant at children’s joyful shouting in the temple, Jesus defended their exuberance, revealing how seriousness can harden into joyless religion.
Jesus Himself likely employed humor frequently. His comparisons of Pharisees to whitewashed tombs, His image of someone trying to remove a speck with a plank in their eye, and His reference to a camel passing through a needle’s eye all contain absurdity that would have produced knowing laughter among His listeners.
Today’s Prayer: Father, restore my sense of humor when life’s challenges tempt me toward joyless solemnity. Amen.
Reflection Question: What does your current capacity for genuine laughter reveal about your spiritual health?