Laughter from Up Above

Did you know kids laugh about 500 times a day? Grown-ups only laugh around 15 times! Isn’t that kind of funny? God made us to laugh—He gave us the ability to smile, chuckle, giggle, and even laugh so hard, we can't breathe!

God loves joy. The Bible tells us so in Proverbs 17:22,

“A merry heart does good, like medicine,"

Laughter can help us feel better—whether we're feeling sick or just a little down. God helps us laugh even when things are hard. Sometimes, He helps us laugh at our mistakes so we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

But, not all laughter is good. Sometimes, people laugh at things that make God sad—like mean jokes or when someone gets hurt. That kind of laughter isn't the kind God wants for us. He wants us to use our joy to lift others up, not tear them down.

Here’s something cool: God’s forgiveness helps us laugh again when we’re feeling down or guilty. Think about Peter. He once tried to walk on water to get to Jesus but started sinking when he got scared. Later, after Jesus forgave him, don’t you think Peter might have had himself a little laugh?

"Hahaha, I really thought I was walking on water on my own... and then splash!"

Let's challenge ourselves this week:

Laugh a lot—it’s a gift from God!
Don’t laugh at what’s wrong—that hurts others.
Share our joy—if something makes you giggle, maybe someone else needs a good laugh too.
Thank and Praise God for giving us laughter and joy, especially in hard times.

Family Altar

Use these discussion questions and our prayer as a guide for your family altar.

Parents can lead the prayer and invite their children to repeat after them or encourage their children to take the lead, making family altar time a shared journey of faith.