A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

— Proverbs 17:22

Nobody has a better laugh than Rev. Rick. In addition to serving as the pastor of a nearby church for 35 years, he also served as the president of the board of Roseland Christian Ministries for more than a decade. While he has multiple talents and abilities, what I love most about Rev. Rick is his laugh.

There are all kinds of laughs: guttural, throaty, staccato, sinister. There are as many laughs as there are people.

Rev. Rick’s laugh is pure joy. I’ve heard him laugh across a room at the face a baby made. Sheer unadulterated joy. There is a joyful kindness to Rev. Rick’s laugh that changes the atmosphere in the room.

As Proverbs says, “a cheerful heart is good medicine,” and I’m inclined to believe that there is something healing that comes from laughter. Laughter is a gift from God.

There have been many times in my life when I have just needed to laugh. Or just to hear laughter.

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase “I had to laugh to keep from crying.” We could all probably do a little bit more of both.

But today I want to laugh. As a gift from God, can we find pleasure in the fun, funny, silly, and even ridiculous? Maybe today we can find a moment to let out a cheerful laugh.

Lord, thank you for the gift of laughter. Thank you for the joy and gladness that come with shared laughter and humor in your name. Amen.