On Grandchildren, Friends, and Laughter

“Old people are distinguished by grandchildren; children take pride in their parents. Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble. A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.” (Proverbs 17:6, 17, 22, The Message Bible).

What a broad subject is today’s topic: grandchildren, friends and laughter. How can these be tied together? First, the verses were underlined in my study Bible, meaning I have noticed them for years. In the KJV, I have them memorized, but I particularly wanted to share The Message version of these verses printed above.

Mr. Peterson rendered “Children’s children are the crown of old men,” as “Old people are distinguished by grandchildren.” I thought: How true! When I meet up with someone I don’t know who is somewhat aging, I often ask: “Do you have grandchildren?” That is always a conversation point. We all like to talk about our grandchildren. They are blessings of growing older. Just now, if you have grandchildren, take time to thank God for them. Pray for them in whatever area they may need strengthening. And if you are blessed, as am I, to have great grandchildren, how “distinguished” indeed! We have lived to the ripe age of seeing children of our children produce children. The blessings continue.

Friends are people we don’t want to do without. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24 NKJV). Jesus taught: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:13-14, KJV). The principles of friendship are noted: Be friendly so that you can have friends. Love friends, even to the point of being willing to lay down your life for them. And, of course the highest friendship of the one who “sticks closer than a brother” is Jesus Christ who invites us to be His friends. A wise pastor once said, when teaching on prayer: “When someone comes to your mind, take time to pray for that person. It was not at random that the name crossed your consciousness. He or she needs prayer, then.” Now think of a friend and pray for that person.

And we end with laughter. The KJV renders verse 22 thus: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Laugh often. It takes far fewer muscles to laugh than to frown, and the results are better for the one who laughs and they who hear. Some people have what seems a natural sense of humor. They can find laughter almost everywhere. They can even laugh at their own mistakes, and seek with merriment to correct them. The Message renders the verse in a very understandable way: “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.” When we have grandchildren (and great grandchildren!) and friends, we have cause for merriment, for laughter. All cheer our spirit and we’re not in gloom and doom, bone-tired and with dried-up bones. Laugh today! Renew a right spirit within. Thank God for children’s children, friends and laughter.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, July 16, 2010