We continue to look at ways that you can find some space to laugh at some of the situations you experience in the ministry and to laugh at yourself for taking yourself so seriously. In many ways the center of our theology is centered on grace, which is the totally undeserved and unexpected results of God’s saving act in the world. The language of response to grace is laughter. Recall Israel’s response when God saved them against overwhelming odds. In Psalm 126, “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.”
Think of your own experience when you experience unexpected success in a challenge of ministry or personal life. It is natural to respond with a yelp of glee and laughter. Good comedy often results from bringing the unexpected to bear on a situation. The set up is designed to get our thoughts going in one direction and then suddenly to trip us up.
A pastor should remain calm and respond kindly when
Someone is insulting in their behavior
Ministers should be understanding when someone uses profane and offensive language.
They should understand when people make impossible demands
After all, it’s not easy being the spouse of a minister.
One form of comedy is that of writing captions for pictures. You may not be an artist, but using stick figures, put together an image of an event in ministry. It might be a meeting, a men’s retreat, a worship experience, etc. Then write a funny caption for the scene. Go ahead, take a few moments to be silly about the serious and discover the grace in the midst of the stressful.
On your spiritual journey, you need to be comfortable with acknowledging your own pain, and laughing at yourself when you have taken yourself too seriously. Between those poles you will experience the presence of God and be able to convey that to those in need.
