Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."¹

I read about one lady who, when she turned fifty, wore a button at her work place that said, "Fifty is nifty." All day she got lots of compliments with people saying things like, "Anita, you don't look 50," "Why, Anita, you can't be 50," and "We all know you're not 50."

She knew they were kidding but she loved it. However, the more she heard the lies, the more she believed them. On her way home she got to thinking, I think I need a new husband. At 51 he's much too old for a young looking gal like me.

As she arrived home from work, a young girl from the florist shop was delivering a beautiful floral arrangement with a note that said, "Birthday flowers from a friend."

Seeing the "Fifty is Nifty" button on Anita's dress, the girl said, "Oh, 50, eh?"

"Yes," Anita said as she waited for one more compliment about looking so young when the delivery girl said, "Fifty. That's great! Birthday or anniversary?"

I heard about another lady who, when she was 50, liked to tell people she was 60. "Why do you do this? Someone who knew her real age asked. "Well for 50 I look terrible, but for 60 I look fantastic," she replied.

Kidding and joking in the right spirit when you make yourself the target of the laughter (and not others) is fun and healthy. We probably all remember the axiom that says, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This would probably be better said: "A laugh a day keeps the doctor and the blues away."

Laughter is indeed one of the best medicines. As the Bible taught 3,000 years ago, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."¹

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for the gift of laughter, humor and fun. Help me to take life seriously, serving you seriously, but not myself too seriously. Help me to learn to laugh at myself even when I make mistakes, and to laugh a little with my friends—every day. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Solomon (Proverbs 17:22, NIV).

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