“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” (Proverbs 17:22 NLT)
Last weekend I traveled out of state to visit my parents and sisters. One afternoon we met at a city museum that was hosting a traveling exhibit about Jim Henson of Sesame Street and Muppets fame. I wandered around the display intrigued by Mr. Henson’s talent, artistic gifts, and vision for how to entertain on television. He came of age – and creative maturity – at a time when television was still largely local, and his “Rowlf the Dog” and “Kermit the Frog” could be guests on shows. Later when he teamed up with Sesame Street and then created the Muppet movies, his creative genius and love of life could be appreciated by larger audiences.
As I walked around the exhibit, I so enjoyed seeing Kermit, Bert, Ernie, Count Von Count, Grover, Scooter, Beaker, and Dr. Bunsen. These were characters on shows I watched while growing up, and their antics and dialogue (and jokes!) were a joy to remember. As I meandered around the display I realized I was smiling – a lot. I was truly enjoying the time and the walks through memory lane, so much so that I smiled through most of it. When I realized that I was smiling “that much,” I had to wonder why that struck me as unique or newsworthy.
Realistically, there’s so much hard stuff in the greater world (and enough in my personal world) that sometimes it sits on you so that you struggle to remember to smile or laugh. You’ve probably heard how it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, and all the reasons why laughter is good for you. Some people are naturally cheerful, naturally smiling, naturally joyous. That isn’t what I’m known for, but I honor and respect people for the gifts that they bring to others’ lives, including mine.
Maybe today my experience with the Muppets is a reminder of an invitation: let us seek out things that are lighter, fun, even joyous. Yes, there are tremendously difficult things going on in the world and maybe in our individual lives. But if a “cheerful heart” is good medicine – meaning that it’s good for our souls, minds, bodies, and emotions – then we probably need to be intentional about recognizing the places that make us smile and give us cheer.
I bet you just thought of a few; which one(s) could you tap into today?
If you want a place to start, go to YouTube and look up the Statler and Waldorf compilation videos. You probably remember the two grumpy old men who sat in the balcony at the Muppet Show and critiqued (or heckled, as the case may be) the rest of the show. Here’s a few one-liners for your funny bone:
STATLER: I wonder if there really is life on another planet.
WALDORF: Why do you care? You don’t have a life on this one?
WALDORF: What’s all the commotion about?
STATLER: Waldorf, the bunny ran away!
WALDORF: Well, you know what that makes him –
BOTH: Smarter than us!
STATLER: Wake up you old fool. You slept through the show.
WALDORF: Who’s a fool? You watched it.
God,
Today we come to you grateful for the gift of laughter. Thank you for smiles and things that make us smile. Even when the road of life is difficult, remind us to seek out places that are lighter and cause us to smile and laugh. Thank you for the artistic and visionary gifts of people like Jim Henson, and for the legacy of laughter they left for future generations. When there is tribulation in our world, remind us that your Word brings peace because you have overcome the world. And cheer us so that we can help to cheer others, we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)
