As children, we would laugh as our Welsh pastor played outdoor games with us at the church’s annual daily vacation bible school. Rev. Dr. Ivor Bennett hailed from Wales all the way overseas to Atlantic Canada. He had a serious side to him, yet also loved to join in when the fun began. One game we played was called “Fill in the gap.” Running full tilt, a person would circle the group of kids that were joining hands. Next the runner would tap one of the persons in the circle and then, racing in opposite directions, the two would try to race back to the space that had been made empty. The first back to the empty space was the “winner”. I remember many times when Pastor Bennett himself would be tapped and instead of running all the way around, he would “cheat” by cutting half-way through the circle of kids instead of running around the outside. This always lifted a chorus of laughter. We knew that this white-haired, short and stocky person who used to live so far away, cared for us. I am delighted to say that he is the one who led me to Christ. Somehow I sensed that knowing Christ was not all serious but also was lots of fun.
We need some people in our lives that enjoy life. We need ‘lifter-uppers’! The Psalmist of Scripture wrote that God is the “lifter of our countenance”.
Balance in the Christian life is not easily achieved, yet important. We can carry both ‘somber’ and ‘silly’ too far. Yet there are times when we just need to laugh and play. To loosen up and live a little! To not take ourselves too seriously. Scripture says that ‘laughter is good medicine’. ‘The joy of the Lord is our strength.’ We need some people in our lives that enjoy life. We need ‘lifter-uppers’! The Psalmist of Scripture wrote that God is the “lifter of our countenance”. Isn’t it interesting that we often remember those with whom we had good fun. We do not remember much of what they said, but we remember them. Let us be a joy to others as often as possible.