Love is ... (Pt 7)

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:1-5 ESV).

The sixth characteristic from the Apostle Paul describing genuine love is to develop humor without folly (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:6). The definition of folly is lack of good sense, understanding, or foresight. The definition of humor is the ability to be funny or to be amused by things that are funny. While the cartoon I’ve included today may at first seem to be “funny,” it is actually only foolish. I find many times we find humor at the expense of others. This is the antithesis to genuine love. G. K. Chesterton said, “Life is serious all the time, but living cannot be. You may have all the solemnity you wish in your neckties, but in anything important, you must have mirth or you will have madness.” A curious custom in the Greek Orthodox tradition gathers believers on Easter Monday for the purpose of trading jokes. Since the most extravagant “joke” of all took place on Easter Sunday, the victory, against all odds, of Jesus over death, the community of the faithful enters into the spirit of the season by sharing stories with unexpected endings, surprise flourishes, and a sense of humor. A similar practice occurs among the Slavs, who recognize in the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth a joy that it is Jesus who has the last laugh. The response of the Greeks and the Slavs seems to be most appropriate, and it is disappointing that these practices strike our contemporary mindsets as a little odd. Most mainline Christian congregations, after all, do not celebrate Easter quite this way. Mary Poppins may have had it right after all when she sang, “… a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” Another person once said, “When giving someone correction tell them something they do well, then bring the correction and then tell them something they do well again.” The beginning and end of the correction take the sting out of the correction so that they receive it rather than become hurt over it. I admit I intend to do this as a practice but fail miserably when it comes to those closest to me. In reality we need to practice this with those we love and care for the most. We must get to the place in our lives where we value compassion as much as correctness. Laugh often but love always. This is the real nature of love!