Laughter That Hides Tears (Luke 6:25)

...Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. (Luke 6:25 NASB)

Today, we look at the third woe in this passage that contrasts the blessings of a life of faith with a life of worldly pleasure. "Woe to you who laugh" is not referring to those who have a joy-filled heart nor is it referring to the "merry heart that does good like a medicine". The reference is to the kind of raucous laughter that is unrelated to the joy of the Lord. Instead, this is the laughter that comes from seeking only personal pleasure and is sometimes used to hide a broken heart.  You can laugh now, in the midst of your search for worldly, sensual pleasure, but one day your laughter will end.

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles sang a song written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin entitled "Tracks of My Tears" that speaks about this very thing.  

"People say I'm the life of the party

Because I tell a joke or two

Although I might be laughing loud and hearty

Deep inside I'm blue

So take a good look at my face

You'll see my smile looks out of place

If you look closer, it's easy to trace

The tracks of my tears..."

It goes on to proclaim longing for one who is loved. The song accurately describes the kind of laughter that hides tears. It also describes the deep, aching need that is the only cure. It falls short, however, of naming the need. There is no one person of earth who can fill that void. Those tears can only be dried and comforted by God Himself. 

We do, as Pascal described, have a God-shaped void in our hearts that only He can fill.  

Today, pray that we and our loved ones will grow so tired of hiding our tears behind false laughter that we will reach out to our Lord, allow Him to dry every tear, turn that laughter into songs of joy, and give us merry hearts. 

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Here's the link to last night's blog: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/03/mamie-and-deadly-attack.html