Keeping The Soul Light

Whenever I start to take myself too seriously, all I need is to go into my office at the church I serve and take a look around at all of the art and artifacts I've amassed over the years, particularly the slightly irreverent ones.   

I rather enjoy all the humorous Jesus pieces I've collected, like my Jesus bobbleheads, action figures, and funny art.  I have a notion that Jesus approves of these kinds of things, and they help keep my head from getting too big.  

There's a way to be serious about your faith without becoming too serious, if that makes sense.  There has to be some joy and laughter in our journey with Jesus, otherwise why would anyone in their right mind want to join us?

Theologian and author G.K. Chesterton once quipped: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.”

I feel that far too many of us carry life too tightly clenched in our hands.

We overanalyze mistakes. We replay awkward conversations. We place enormous pressure on ourselves to succeed, impress, or maintain control. The result is often exhaustion—not only of the body, but of the spirit.

Holy humor invites us to loosen our grip a little.

G. K. Chesterton’s playful observation contains deep wisdom. There is freedom in learning not to take ourselves quite so seriously. Not because life lacks meaning, but because humility allows room for grace.

Scripture often reminds us that human beings are limited creatures. Psalm 103 says that God remembers “that we are dust.” Yet this is not spoken with condemnation. It is spoken with compassion. God understands our humanity better than we do.

Jesus himself often disrupted rigid seriousness. He welcomed children when others dismissed them. He attended celebrations. He turned water into wine at a wedding feast. Again and again, he seemed less interested in preserving appearances and more interested in restoring life.

The sacred ordinary teaches us that joy flourishes where perfectionism loosens its hold.

Sometimes we need to laugh at ourselves kindly. To accept our limitations without shame. To recognize that we do not have to carry the weight of the entire world on our shoulders.

Humility and humor often belong together. Both remind us that we are human beings, not machines.

And perhaps part of spiritual maturity is learning how to hold life with open hands—to work hard, love deeply, grieve honestly, and still remain capable of laughter along the way.

Even amid life's seriousness, God still delights in joy.

Prayer

Merciful God, help me release the burdens of perfectionism and anxious striving. Teach me to hold life more lightly, trusting that your grace is greater than my failures or fears. Restore joy, humility, and laughter within my spirit. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. In what ways do you tend to take yourself too seriously?
2. How can humor help create humility and perspective?
3. What would it look like to hold life with more openness and grace?