Rick Warren: Learn to Laugh
Did you know that people who laugh live longer? It's true. Proverbs 14:30 says, "A relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life."
by Rick Warren, Christian Today Guest Columnist
Posted: Sunday, July 15, 2007, 12:20 (BST)
Did you know that people who laugh live longer? It's true. Proverbs 14:30 says, "A relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life." (TLB)
Humour is an amazing thing. It's a tension dissolver. It's an antidote to anxiety. It's just like a tranquiliser, but without any troublesome side effects. And it's free! You don't even need a prescription.
Laughter is life's shock absorber. If you want to have less stress in your life, learn to laugh at your circumstances. Somehow, you must find the fun in the frustrating.
Someone once asked President Lincoln how he handled all the stresses of the Civil War. He said, "If it hadn't been for laughter, I could not have made it." Many famous comedians grew up in poor neighbourhoods with lots of problems. They coped with their troubles by learning to laugh and making others laugh.
So learn to laugh. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. And besides, if you learn to laugh at your troubles, you'll never run out of anything to laugh at! Life is full of funny situations. Will Rogers once said, "I don't know any jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts." Proverbs 17:22 says, "Being cheerful keeps you healthy." (GNB) We all need to develop a sense of humour.
Have your say on this article
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 17:27 (BST)
It is real. If we live our lives in a happy way, we are going to live longer because it helps our emotions. Emotional situations have a great impact on our bodies.
Rev. Samuel Santana, Dominican Republic
Added: Monday, July 16, 2007, 15:45 (BST)
I am very disappointed by Warren's twisting of Psalm 2:4.
Warren makes it sound like that verse teaches that God enjoys a good belly laugh. But if you read the verse in context it says that God is laughing in derision of His enemies.
Here is what the passage actually says "4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury"
No pastor regardless of their popularity has the freedom to twist God's word.
Chris Rosebrough, San Clemente, CA
