Leadership Thought: Enjoying the Best Medicine in the World and It Doesn’t Cost a Dime.

Dear Friends,

Whimsy is a word that we on staff use a lot around our church. It is a word that has come to mean a kind of playful communication that often brings joy and laughter to those on both the giving and receiving end. You might call it playful banter. It can momentarily relieve the stress of ministry-yes, there are occasions of stress for those of us engaged in the Lord’s work. 

There is often a lot of laughter that accompanies whimsy, and I have found that laughter can be healthful, even invigorating.  It was President Lincoln who said, “With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh, I should die.”  Laughter can often help get us through stressful or challenging situations. It enables us to step away from a problem for a few moments and gain a fresh perspective on the challenge we are facing.

You may have heard the saying “He who laughs-lasts.” I suspect there is a lot of truth to this statement. Laughter can relieve stress and increases longevity. It may well be true that laughing 100 times a day works the heart as much as exercising for ten minutes on a rowing machine.  Yes, laughter undoubtedly can be good for both the body and yes, even the soul.

"Laughter relieves stress and boredom, boosts engagement and well-being, and spurs not only creativity and collaboration, but also analytical precision and productivity." writes Harvard Business School professor Alison Wood Brooks who has also found that cracking jokes at work can make people even more competent." "The Benefits of Laughing in the Office," Harvard Business Review, Nov 16, 2018. 

I have personally discovered that serving on a staff where we often spend time laughing together makes ministry more enjoyable, as it assists in building comradery which is so important in building a team. 

Fun and laughter should be regular ingredients in a Christian’s life. These qualities can make us more relatable. As believers we should be joyful, playful, fun loving, and even whimsical for those possessing these qualities are generally the most attractive people to be around. Who wants to hang with stern, somber, humorless, lemon sucking killjoys who have no appreciation for a few laughs and a little whimsy?

As Christians we should be fun to be with. Our personality should pave the way for the building of relationships, and those relationships can often provide an open door for the communication of the Gospel.

So, followers of Christ, let’s lighten up a bit and put a little more whimsy in our lives. Let’s laugh a little more and show the world that those who bear the name of Christ are the happiest people alive. And why shouldn’t we be, for we are the possessor of abundant and eternal life. 

Martin Luther wrote, “If you’re not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don’t want to go there,” and neither do I.

Yours in Whimsy,
Pastor Tom

P.S. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).