May 29, 2006

and he died of laughter

Some people have a gift. They have practiced their whole lives and have gotten it down to a science. They can take almost every circumstance and by some comparison or play of words or connection of events, make everyone else laugh. They can remember a funny part of an earlier conversation and come back to it over and over, building on it brick by brick, higher and higher till everyone is looking up at, appreciating, and laughing hysterically because of these masterfully built mini-monologues.

And if they can’t deliver every once in a while, most people give them the benefit of any doubt by laughing anyway. At times it is as if people known as comedians can take a break from any effort toward solid humor, because any words coming out of their mouths are automatically funny. They are their own ready-made context. The same words fall flat when they come from the mouth of a nerd or a rookie jokester.

But the comedian is the one under a curse. He can almost never be both caring confidant and consummate comedian. It is difficult to get respect to kindle when you typically spark laughter. The two fires can’t seem to coexist very long. Not that respectable people are never funny. They like A1 on their steak. But no one having a bite of their conversations complains that there is too much sauce on not enough meat.

Comedians may distract from pain or lighten a mood, but they aren’t encouraging in any substantial way. I didn’t go to the Bill Cosby clips on my Ipod when I drove away from the funeral of my friend’s grandmother a few weeks ago. Levity feels banal when you want gravity.

But if not reverenced, the comedians are popular. Those who’ve earned a reputation as funny people can draw on this identity at any time for a small thrill. It’s like being dressed up and walking by a crowd, catching everyone’s glance. It’s a little inner boost. But if those little joys always get fed and grow up to live and thrive, the deeper and more fulfilling social joys begin to die.

A merry heart may do good like medicine, but it’s right beside eating and drinking in the fool’s trivium. If “tomorrow we die” and that is it, the fool lives today laughing. If laughter can keep his mind off life, death, other people, or another Person, he will toss out the steak entirely and chug the sauce.

And though he may live many more years, he has died of an overdose long before tomorrow.

Posted by mgemb at 03:56 PM | Comments (6)

May 12, 2006

If Dante could blog

If Dante were around today (and if he could hold back from talking about Italian politics), he might blog this instead of counting on people finding it in Canto XIII of the Paradiso.

“And lead weights to your feet may my words be,
that you move slowly, like a weary man,
to the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ of what you do not see.

“For he is a fool, and low among his kind
who answers yay or nay without reflection,
nor does it matter on what road he runs blind.

“Opinions too soon formed often deflect
man’s thinking from the truth into gross error
in which his pride then binds his intellect

“It is worse than vain for men to leave the shore
and fish for truth unless they know the art ;
for they return worse off than they were before.”*


* Cf. "A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring." (Alexander Pope)

Posted by mgemb at 11:06 PM | Comments (4)

May 09, 2006

to teach and to suffer

In God's sovereignty, many who by their sermons, books, and lectures have taught Christians how to suffer are now having the opportunity to teach by their lives.

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Please pray for J. Alan Groves, Professor of Old Testament and VP of Academic Affairs at Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Groves was gracious to give several of us from bju almost 2 hours of his time to tell us about the seminary and answer our questions. When he told us about all the projects he was working on in addition to his responsibilities as a teacher, I kept asking myself, "What is he doing giving us so much of his valuable time?"

Another testament to his willingness to give of his time was that he sent me a reply within 5 minutes of my sending him an e-mail Sunday night. Please pray for him, as he has been diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. He has a wife, Libbie, and four children--Alasdair, Rebeckah, Eowyn, and Alden. You can find out more and read encouraging updates at http://algroves.info

Also, please pray for Dr. Frank Kik. long-time pastor and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. He has been recently diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Praise God for restoring Pastor John Piper to health. "Don't Waste Your Cancer" has been an encouragement from many, not the least of whom is David Powlisson who was also diagnosed with prostate cancer. Powlisson has authored many counseling books, and teaches along side Paul David Tripp (Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands) at The Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) and also teaches practical theology at Westminster. He has a wife and two daughters.

Dr. Powlisson has added his thoughts to Don't Waste Your Cancer.

Please pray for these brothers and their families, and feel free to drop them notes of encouragement, as well.

Posted by mgemb at 02:03 PM | Comments (1)