June 30

“Sorrow is better than laughter…” Ecclesiastes 7:3

Here is presented a concept which at face value may appear counterintuitive to our minds. In a world where the social norm and the contemporary wisdom is all geared to finding and promoting ‘happiness’, how can sorrow ever be ‘better’ than laughter? The bible states that the ‘joy of the Lord’ is our strength. There is however a vast difference between the satisfying joy that comes from God, and the elusive happiness which fallen man seeks, often in vain and in constantly changing circumstances. A step further back than that again, is the common place notion that if one can ‘laugh’ enough, then happiness will come. Again this seems another futile man-made attempt, at circumventing the true source of joy and contentment which is Jesus. While it may be true that laughter has some benefits and value for mental and emotional health, it should be the result of a content, settled and happy soul, not seen as a means to obtaining those conditions. In line with this erroneous thinking, the world has assembled a host of so called comedians who find it necessary to pollute and profane in their language and subject matter, every area of life, by serving up a mess of lewd, smutty, negative, vulgar and offensive performances, in an attempt to bring questionable laughter, to those who feel they need cheering up! It doesn’t even begin to make sense! Even so how can sorrow, be better than laughter? From a spiritual standpoint, this concept is very clear. Laughter is for a moment, and passes with very little permanent effect and no benefit to the spiritual man.  The sorrow spoken of in scripture, is not mere sadness or depression, it is a sense of personal regret for offenses committed against God, the distress of realising one’s own wrongs.   When a person can be truly sorrowful therefore, the effects reach the inner, spiritual man and can make a more permanent imprint on his being. Thus sorrow is better, when it is sorrow for sin! Instead of laughing at sinful jokes, a man who realises the guilt and awfulness of sin and becomes troubled over his own iniquities, can by repentance find forgiveness from God and new spiritual life! Such godly sorrow then is better, more useful, commendable, and more profitable than foolish laughter, because it recognises the mistakes which have been made. Instead of foolishly laughing them away, attempting to cover them or trivialising them, it causes the person to face them, repent and make changes to their way of life. Sorrow is a necessary part of the process of humbling oneself in the eyes of God, obtaining forgiveness from the Lord and turning back from a life of sin and degradation. It is the starting point of a person’s self-realization before God, and the pavement of the entry hall which leads to eternal life - a life of unending joy, glory and blissful contentment! That considered, it is not so hard to see why sorrow is better than laughter! 

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