If you laugh more, will you live longer? Perhaps. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (ESV). The modern science of gelatology (Greek for “laughter study”) documents this biblical truth repeatedly. We now have evidence that laughter has the potential to enhance the immune system, moderate depression, facilitate business management … and the list goes on!

One of our problems in this terribly busy age is maintaining humor in the throes of stress and overstimulation. Some do not seem to have time to laugh, while others seem not to need comedy at all. Laughter scientists now know that “humor orientation” varies in people — some laugh more easily than others. Home and school conditioning in childhood, left- or right-brain dominance, and no doubt genes — all factor into one’s humor orientation.

Yet, human beings also make discoveries — and some of these enhance the humor quotient.

Syndicated humorist Art Buchwald lost his mother when he was very young. Farmed out to one orphanage after another, Buchwald had lived in seven homes by the time he turned 16. He felt like the “odd man out,” and other students often treated him unkindly. His discovery? Make bullies laugh, and then they do not beat up on you.

Comedian Bill Cosby grew up in a dysfunctional home in a housing project. Cosby watched his father drink, beat his wife and leave the family for long periods of time. Cosby’s discovery? He could create another world, a funny world, his own happy world.

Television comic Carol Burnett lived with alcoholic parents. Her discovery? She could translate the incongruities of life into hilarity.

Humor is a profoundly theological way of viewing life. Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Easter Monday in a way surprising to Protestants. The day after Easter people come to a church service to tell jokes — jokes on the devil. He only thought he defeated Christ on the cross; the old boy did not believe the Resurrection would really happen. Ha!

Humor scholars tell us that surprises, incongruities and good timing make us laugh. What could surprise the world more than the empty tomb? What could be more incongruous than resurrection from the dead? And timing? Wow! Even Jesus’ disciples were caught off guard.

What are the implications? If we do indeed know God won the victory over death and sin, no matter how bad life gets, we look to the future — to that day when His saints will rule and righteousness will characterize all of life. That is the promise of the Resurrection.

Actually, this Christian basis of humor infiltrates classical Western humor, often subtly. Hear the overtones of promised renewed life in these one-liners that look to the future with hope:
“As for me, except for an occasional heart attack, I feel as young as I ever did.” — Robert Benchley
“If you live to be a hundred, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age.” — George Burns
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” — Susan Sontag

Does humor do something for daily living? Well, yes! The joy of laughter normalizes perspective, restores sanity and liberates a person to believe in a grand tomorrow.

When humor goes, confusion steps in. This explains Clarence Darrow’s line, “If you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think.” President Reagan spent hours, literally, telling stories and listening to them. A waste of time? Hardly. Using humor to clear his mind, Reagan gave leadership to the hard business of decision-making and brought a great nation out of the depths of dark despair into the light of hope.

Someone observed that laughter is one of the basic food groups. Right on! It feeds the soul with nutrients that make for healing, creativity and productivity. I once asked David McKenna, then president of Seattle Pacific University, what he would do if he awoke in the night feeling the threat of burnout. Without missing a beat he said, “I would turn the temptation into laughter.” No wonder he held steady and served as president of three great educational institutions.

One of the emerging facts in laughter research relates to the rough patches comedians have experienced. Jonathan Winters suffered bouts of depression, as did Art Buchwald; Bill Cosby watched his parents go through divorce. Laughter for them and many others became the instrument of therapy.

Check out the article “Dr. Silly Will See You Now” in Reader’s Digest (September 2004). Anthony J. Palumbo, Ph.D., a children’s therapist, is called “Dr. Silly” because he creates a ridiculously hilarious environment in which emotionally and mentally damaged kids laugh and get well. Humor, he says, unlocks “the broken hearts of children.” He works with children of divorced parents and those who have suffered molestation, accidents, birth trauma and so forth. He will help anyone who needs to find wholeness. Dr. Silly uses puppets, songs, rhymes, colored umbrellas and dances — anything to bring joy to kids and help them develop into well-adjusted human beings.

But it is not only troubled kids who need the healing effects of laughter. If you listen to the 6 p.m. daily news and never the 11 a.m. Sunday news, depression will cloud your thinking. Yes, we probably must hear the sad stories going on in our communities. However, with the relief of a funny tale now and again, faith and normalcy of outlook return.

Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1a, ESV). How could He give such instructions to a terribly troubled world? Because He has overcome the world. He has indeed, and we find ourselves back to Resurrection theology. So go ahead and laugh — out loud.