Victorious Laughter

“He who sits in the heavens laughs”

Psalm 2:4

Have you ever wondered how to respond to crazy people? It’s okay, you don’t have to pretend right now. Let’s be honest here. You know those certain people in your life who are crazy. The ones who say things or do things and it’s just clear to you that they are way off the mark. We’ve all been there, and surely we’re also the crazy ones at times.

But how are Christ’s followers called to respond to people who are just living in insanity? What do you do when people are just coming up with the most idiotic plans in order to fulfill some vain imaginative non-existent quest? Maybe one way to be Christ-like is to simply laugh. Humor them.

Not laughing at them but at their foolishness. The Psalmist asked, “Why do the people plot in vain?” And he pointed out that God’s response to this craziness was that, “He who sits in the heavens laughs” (Psalm 2:1,4). Here’s the deal: All around the world there are billions of people who have their own little made-up agendas, many of which involve plans to achieve eternal life (in whatever form they think that comes).

. . . And it is hilarious.

Why is it so funny? Because Eternal Life is a person: Jesus Christ. And He is the free gift from God to anyone who is childlike enough to simply believe. So we have this free gift right in front of every single human being on planet earth, and yet a huge majority of them are focused on the silliest of things that they think will somehow achieve their goal.

And at this the Father just has to laugh. It’s the same laugh with which He created the heavens and the earth (see Proverbs 8:30-31 – the Hebrew word translated “rejoicing” really means “laughing”). His laugh isn’t a mean or cruel laugh. It is a laugh of utter amusement at the foolishness of mankind. It’s a genuine belly laugh over the sheer insanity of His children. It arises from the pit of His being where there is only HOPE, and a deep knowing that spiritual truth and sanity will always win out. Love will never fail, and that Love is so strong that every attempt to side-step it is met with genuine laughter.

Laughter is really just the overflow of joy, and we know that God is overflowing with the fullness of joy (see Psalm 16:11, Hebrews 1:9, John 17:13, etc.). This is the same joy that led Jesus to the cross. It seems that joy and laughter have always been at the heart of God’s response to sin. Not because He approves of it; that couldn’t be further from the truth. But because He sees with perfect clarity the joke of it. In no way could sin have ever have worked for humanity; and God just went on rejoicing in His Son’s sacrifice in order to make “all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

In the end, we are also called to speak out against man’s foolishness, just as Christ did at times. And ultimately we are called to forgive people for their sin. But in the midst of that, I would like to point out that for God, as well as for us, genuine forgiveness comes from a place of joy. After all, the joy of the Lord is what strengthens us. When we learn to be Christ-like, and sit in the Heavens and laugh with Him (which is where we are currently seated by the way – Ephesians 2:6), forgiveness will become easier and easier. Speaking out will become freer. Loosed from the burdens of resentment or the heavy yoke of trying to “fix” the insanity in the world, your spirit will be carefree and laughter will be the natural result.

So the next time you see some craziness, whether it be yourself or others, get a sense of humor and let Love bubble up within you. Laugh the Eternal Laugh, believe the Everlasting joke: the nations plot in vain but our Father in heaven is laughing with love as He makes all things new.

Here’s the famous video of a baby laughing while his dad rips up a rejection letter he received from a job. The baby’s name is Micah, which is a Hebrew word that means “Who is like God.” Micah answers the question of his very name: God has a childlike heart that looks at all “bad news” with a belly laugh–one that rises out of place of triumphant love and victorious joy.

If you’ve seen this video before, take some time to enjoy it again…