Jesus apparently liked a good joke. He certainly showed humor in the ways he sometimes talked about the, perhaps, overly serious religious folks of his day.

He talked of people so concerned about the sin of their brother that they are unconcerned about their own sin. (“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7: 3, RSV) Someone walking along with a log sticking out of their eye becomes concerned about a speck in their brother’s eye.

Jesus apparently liked having a good time socially, too. He often was invited to banquets and feasts and seemed to enjoy them, sometimes taking opportunity to teach while attending them.

He also taught us to despise the rich man who refused to share his food with the poor man next to his table, while we are to welcome back the sinner who repents, inviting him in for feasting and rejoicing.

I grew up in a teetotaling Southern Baptist church, but we shared numerous picnics and dinners together. The Christians I knew liked laughing and jokes. My father never drank a glass of alcohol in his life, but he often attracted neighborhood friends by inviting them into our house for sharing jokes and fellowship on a cold winter evening. As a child, I sat next to my mother’s chair and enjoyed all the conversation and laughter.

In summer, we pulled up yard chairs on our porch and enjoyed the long summer evenings together.

I believe Jesus would have us share the Christian faith by having a good time with our friends and neighbors, whom we care for as Jesus did the people around him.