A Jolly Heart

It’s been said the most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed. Did you know having a good laugh actually strengthens relationship bonds and makes for a stronger heart? Laughter, like water, flushes toxins out of our body. When we laugh, we have the ability to diffuse the pain by physically increasing the body’s production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.

We need to laugh more. A jolly heart is the human gift for not only a healthy heart, but for coping and survival. It breaks the ice, lowers blood pressure, reduces your risk of developing heart disease, and improves mood. Someone who laughs, particularly at herself, can never take herself too seriously. It’s the certain cure for arrogance.

We are responsible for our heart’s care. A study found that just fifteen minutes of watching a funny movie increased average blood flow by 22 percent while watching a serious drama decreased blood flow by 35 percent. Fifteen minutes of laughter and thirty minutes of exercise three times a week is good for the vascular system.

Jesus understood this. He frequently used humor and wit to make his point, like when he mentioned a camel going through the eye of a needle. If anyone had cause for being negative, it was Jesus. His life couldn’t have been easy, facing satanic opposition and human ridicule. Yet Jesus felt joy because he knew his sufferings could not compare with the joy that awaited him. The same should be true for us.

It is no surprise King Solomon advised, “Above all else, guard your heart [or affections] for it is the wellspring of life” (Prov. 4:23, my emphasis). This is serious. Impossible? God never tells us to do something we can’t do in his strength (Phil. 4:13). “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power!” (Eph. 6:10)