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<p>&quot;The disciples were filled with <strong>joy </strong>and with the Holy Spirit.&quot; Acts 13:52<br />
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&quot;The fruit of the Spirit is <strong>joy</strong>&quot; Galatians 5:22<br />
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The <em>Wise Man</em> says that there is<em> &quot;a time to laugh.&quot;</em> That is, there is a time when laughter is <em>right</em>, when it is a <em>duty</em> — and when it would be wrong not to laugh. Perhaps we have not been accustomed to think of laughter in this way. We regard it as an agreeable exercise — but are not apt to class it among <em>duties</em>, like honesty or kindness.<br />
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It would be a sad thing, however, if laughter should be altogether crowded out of life. Think of <em>a world of human beings with no laughter</em> — men and women always wearing grave, serious, solemn faces. Think of the laughter of <em>childhood</em>,departing from the world — how dull and dreary life would be! Nothing on earth is more beautiful, than the merry laugh of childhood.<br />
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Laughter has its place in every wholesome, healthy, holy life. <strong>The man who never smiles</strong> — is morbid! He has lost the joy chords out of his life. He has trained himself to think only of <em>unpleasant </em>things, to look only and always at the <em>dark side.</em> He has accustomed himself so long to <em>sadness</em> — that the muscles of his face have become set in hard, fixed lines — and cannot relax themselves. His <em>thoughts </em>of life are gloomy — and the gloom has entered his <em>soul </em>and darkened his <em>eyes!</em><br />
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Where there is no laughter — all evils nest. <em>Demons do not laugh!</em><br />
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<strong>The man who never laughs</strong>, must not blame his fellows if they think there is something <em>wrong </em>with his life, something <em>dark </em>within.<br />
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If the <em>streams </em>which flow out are only bitter — the <em>fountain </em>cannot be sweet!<br />
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The Wise Man says:<br />
&quot;A <strong>happy </strong>heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.&quot; Proverbs 15:13 <br />
&quot;A <strong>cheerful </strong>heart has a continual feast.&quot; Proverbs 15:15 <br />
&quot;A <strong>joyful </strong>heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.&quot; Proverbs 17:22<br />
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&quot;May the God of hope fill you with all <strong>joy </strong>and peace&quot; Romans 15:13<br />
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&quot;<strong>Rejoice </strong>in the Lord always. I will say it again: <strong>Rejoice</strong>!&quot; Philippians 4:4
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