Facing Life

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." If wise Solomon were living today, he might be running a comic strip in the newspapers, poking fun at his pet aversion, the sluggard. One can scarcely refrain from smiling as he reads this saying about the sluggard burying his hand in the dish, and too lazy to lift it to his mouth again.

We are reminded of the old story about the lazy man whose neighbors were taking him out to bury him. On the way, one said, "Can't we do something to keep him alive? I will give him a bushel of corn." "Is it shelled?" came a lazy voice from the cart. "You shall shell it yourself, sir!" "Well, then, go on and bury me." If laziness is tragical, it is also comical.

The world has aspects of grandeur, but it also has comical aspects. God made some of His creatures so comical that we cannot help a smile as we see them. We have heard of the man who went to the zoo and saw a giraffe for the first time. He exclaimed, "I don't believe it!"

I have seen men almost as comical as a giraffe. When I look at some men I am almost convinced that, after all, there may be something to the "monkey" theory of evolution. The fact is, it kind of gives me a "monkey" feeling when I look too long into a mirror.

Human nature can be as funny as anything in the world. There is a comical element in all of us. If a man can look at himself all round and see nothing comical in his make-up, he must be very dull of perception.

In some natures we see abnormalities that make us laugh. There are times when we are moved to laugh at human follies. Sometimes, as I contemplate the follies of men, I have to laugh at them to escape from insanity. It is the only way of relief.

Life would be easier and brighter for us all if we had a keener sense of humor and keener eyes for seeing the comical side of things. We need all the counterweights we can muster to balance the sad relations of life.