Think about Jesus…right now.

What is he doing?

If you’re like most people you just thought of a still-life head shot of Jesus, framed on a wall and looking into the near distance at something over your left shoulder.  His hair is conditioned, his eyes are blue, and his skin is flawless.  Clearly he uses only the best sunscreen. And moisturizer.

If you’re like many people you’re thinking of Jesus walking through a field, or standing on a hill, or strolling by a sea, or on a sea, but not an ocean.  You definitely didn’t think of him standing on a cliff, or walking up steps, or laying on his tummy with his chin in his hands, propped up on his elbows, girl-talk-sleepover style.  Because nobody thinks of Him that way.

Or maybe you thought of Jesus under a tree with a toddler on his knee, a la Santa Claus.  Because to many of us, we like the idea that Jesus is like that favorite uncle who always has a half-dollar in his pocket with your name on it.

I do a good deal of laughing.  I once heard that good hard belly laughter equates to like half a sit-up. I don’t care much about that.  I just love laughing.

Another way in which we don’t often think about Jesus is to think of Him doubled over in gut-splitting laughter.  That thought alone just made me laugh out loud.  I mean can you imagine tears rolling down Jesus’ cheeks and his wheezing out between hysterical gasps of laughter, “Stop it! Stop it! My gut hurts!”

We don’t think about Him that way because the Bible doesn’t really talk much about Jesus’ funny bone.  But there’s way more to Jesus’ life than what’s written down in the pages of the Bible.  John 21:25 tells us that if everything Jesus did was written down, the world probably wouldn’t hold all the books that would be needed.  And you’re gonna tell me that at least a big chunk of those volumes wouldn’t have been dedicated to Jesus’ supernatural humor?!?  C’mon!

What would Jesus have laughed at?  Let’s guess…

The magi.  I mean who brings a baby gold and spices?

The drowned pigs.  I don’t care who you are, demon-possessed bacon is hilarious.

Peter sinking in the waves.  I can hear Jesus now: “You shoulda seen your face, Pete! That was priceless!”

I’m not saying this to make light of Jesus or His life, or anything He did.  Quite the contrary.  I think we’d all do well to consider that Jesus way more than likely doesn’t fit into the tiny box we’ve got Him in.  And maybe if we let Him out of the confined space we’ve crammed Him into, we’d see that there’s so much more to our Savior to celebrate, revel in, and even laugh with.

I’ve said it before and feel free to chisel it on my tombstone: Those who follow Jesus are those with the greatest cause for hilarity in the entire world.  No one should be laughing more than those who’s souls have been set free, those who’s sins have been forgiven, and those who walk with the One who owns it all.

What do you think?  Am I off my rocker?  Have I gone too far?  Did my foot slip into sacrilege?

Just for fun, I looked everywhere for the worst picture of Jesus laughing I could find.  Here it is.