Sometimes, ok most of the time; my tendency is to think that things must get deeper or more serious to be better. They must be saturated in a serious tone to be truly beneficial or worthwhile. And although I believe depth is extremely important, I have been enlightened to a much more simple and beautiful way of doing life. A friend of mine told me the other day that I can be too serious too much of the time. I, of course, immediately was offended and did not receive his words well. The last twenty-four hours have demonstrated to me the need for joy and laughter, though. I never realized how joy creates unity and a breath of life in a way nothing else can.
My team was fixing lunch together after a good morning of ministry on the farm when an opportunity for a dare presented itself. Natalie’s hand and wrist were covered in strawberry jelly. Chris volunteered to lick it off as a joke; a joke which quickly turned to a dare. The moments that followed were promptly recorded on video and we all laughed at the utter silliness of what was occurring.
The beautiful thing about this moment (and the night before I lost a bet… I attempted to eat an ungodly amount of refried beans… which I do not enjoy anyway… but I got extremely close) is that it really helped us to come together as a team. What we needed was joy. We did not need some serious moment; we needed to laugh with one another and enjoy each other. It sounds silly, but that was one of the most “spiritual” moments I have had here in the Dominican thus far.
More than that, last night we were blessed with the opportunity to hang out with four street boys late into the evening. The guys served as horses and trees to climb and the ladies took their turn in holding and singing over them when their eyes became heavy. It was one of the most hysterical evenings of my life. The way the boys would laugh and care for one another was beautiful and caused us to join in the laughter and joy they so evidently possessed. The moment they crawled into Chris’s shirt for warmth we could not hold in our laughter. And yes, at one point there were two pre-teen boys attempting to sleep inside Chris’s shirt with him. One boy, Michael, pushed his head through the hole of the shirt that gave Chris the look of a double-headed man-boy. It was extraordinary. I do not think I could possibly accurately portray the events of last evening, but I know that the laughter healed a part deep within me that I cannot explain.
In that moment I knew only one thing. Joy wins.
These boys have illuminated in my heart the validity of Paul’s words to the Romans as he wrote, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). The Kingdom of God holds the laughter of children and the joy of those who live in the simple moments. Boys who do not have clothing or a place to sleep or parents or food or schooling understand the necessity of laughter and are able to live it out better than any of us. I am learning about the Kingdom through them.
And though my pride prevents me from accepting correction promptly, I must say my friend was accurate in doing so. I need to take time and laugh and enjoy this place and its people. If I want to live in the Kingdom of God and bring it here, I need to realize this and live it out. Each day brings new mercies and I need to embrace each opportunity to laugh and be joyful. The Kingdom is lived out in joy, and if I want to be a part, I need to dance and laugh a lot more.
My heart may often become overwhelmed with injustices surrounding me. I do not think compassion or longing for justice is by any means a bad thing, but missing the blessing and joy God is providing in abundance all around me is not acceptable. I long to go about the serious business of being joyful. I feel ill equipped and unsteady in the midst of it, but fortunately God is gracious, merciful, and joyfully walks me through my feeble attempts.
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:12)
