My youngest grandson has recently learned to laugh.

And in typical six-month-old fashion, sometimes there is no apparent rhyme or reason for why he’s laughing.

He’s just laughing.

It’s spontaneous, cute, and contagious.

And isn’t that the way of small children?

The world is filled with wonder and joy and everything is fun. Laughter is a natural byproduct of that.

But over time that changes.

Life gets complicated.

Emotional wounds, invisible to the naked eye, are inflicted as hardships and trials assail us. Layers of hardened self-defense mechanisms are quietly built.

Laughter wanes.

Slowly.

As we learn that the “real world” is hard and ugly.

Eventually, we grow into serious adults whose laughter has been stolen over time.

Jesus said Satan comes to “steal, kill, and destroy…” (John 10:10 NIV)

And Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine…” (NKJV)

Doesn’t it make sense that the very thing God says is good for us, medicinal even, would be something the adversary of our soul would want to steal?

A quick Google search will tell you that the average child laughs 300 to 400 times a day whereas adults average only 15 to 20!

Sounds like the thief has been quite successful.

But God gives us a terrific visual in Matthew 18:3 when He points to little children and tells us to “become like them” in order to have eternal life.

Little children keep things simple.

Little children find joy in the everyday.

Little children trust.

Little children laugh.

And inspire us to do the same.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter…and our tongues with shouts of joy.” (Psalm 126:2 CSB)

Until next time, Grace and Glory!