Develop Your Sense of Humor!

Cats scared by cucumbers. Tiny puppies furiously trying to walk on a slippery tile floor. A cockatoo dancing along to its owner’s guitar playing.

All these internet videos create the same reaction: They make us laugh. We smile, giggle, guffaw and chortle at the antics of animals.

While we laugh at these creatures, they never laugh at themselves or us.

Granted, scientists have observed some examples of animals being playful, enjoying being tickled and making laughter-like sounds, but humans are unique. We are the only beings in Creation that enjoy and fully understand humor.

Why just us? Why did God create us to enjoy puns, jokes and slapstick?

One major reason is it keeps us healthy. Some of its many benefits include lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, keeping the heart healthy, releasing feel-good chemicals called endorphins, and boosting T-cells to increase immunity to illnesses.

The old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine,” certainly applies. In fact, these words of wisdom were adapted from Proverbs 17:22. It says: “A merry heart does good like a medicine.”

But the benefits of humor do not stop with health. Perhaps you have seen people who are naturally funny. They always seem able to crack a joke and make everyone smile. Such people seem to have more friends and be more well-liked.

Then there is you. Maybe humor does not come so effortlessly to you. Perhaps you have tried to tell a few jokes and you were met with painfully awkward pauses or an orchestra of crickets.

Yet we are all built to laugh. We are also built to make others laugh. Realize that there are tried-and-true ways to develop your own unique sense of humor. Even if you are more of a natural comedian, these points will help you harness your joke-telling ability so you can use it more correctly and effectively.

Put simply, everyone can and should develop this crucial trait.

Humor in the Bible

There is one important reason humans enjoy humor. It is found in the very first chapter of the Bible: “God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness” (Gen. 1:26).

We were made in the image of God! While the Father and Jesus Christ are composed of Spirit, we look like God as far as how our bodies are shaped—hands, head, legs and so on. But we also have the same characteristics as God. This includes humor.

First, look at Creation itself. We already mentioned that animals can do funny things, especially when interacting with people. Yet often the way they were designed is humorous in itself.

Peacock spiders in Australia are a perfect example. The males, which are decked out with wildly iridescent colors, perform a mating dance that looks like an eight-legged airport employee directing planes on a runway. As if this were not wacky enough, they then stick their abdomens straight up and rapidly shake back and forth as they flit around to attract females.

Now consider that these critters are smaller than a pencil eraser. Until telephoto camera lenses and video equipment were invented, we could not see these behaviors close-up. We can speculate that the Creator made these spiders because it entertained Him. Humans only recently got in on the fun.

God’s sense of humor is found throughout His Word. He used an animal to create a dramatic and humorous effect to get the attention of the prophet Balaam in Numbers 22.

Balaam was promised money from the Moabites if he would curse the children of Israel. While riding his donkey to fulfill his task, the Angel of the Lord appeared in the road. The animal, who could see this spirit being while Balaam could not, turned away. Balaam struck the creature three times until God opened the animal’s mouth.

“Why have you hit me these three times?” (vs. 28).

Balaam did not recognize the ridiculousness of the situation. Instead, he answered the talking beast: “Because you have mocked me” (vs. 29).

The whole scenario is both humorous and absurd—and God chose to record it in the Bible. While God could have spoken directly to Balaam, He instead chose to do it in a way that was both effective and funny.

Jesus Christ had a sense of humor when He walked the Earth in the flesh, too. He gave His disciples nicknames. For example, when a village of Samaritans would not receive Jesus, the brothers John and James asked Him if they should call fire down from heaven to consume the city. Christ warned them that their attitude was all wrong (Luke 9:52-56).

This serious situation earned them a new name. Jesus ended up calling them “Boanerges” (Mark 3:17), which means “the sons of thunder”!

Sometimes, the subtext of a story can also be humorous.

In Mark 5, Jesus resurrected a 12-year-old girl (vs. 41-43). Those in the room stood there slack-jawed at the incredible miracle. In response, Christ made a practical statement: “Get this girl something to eat.”

This could also have been stated as a joke. Everyone there was so amazed by the miracle that they forgot this girl had been sick, died, came back to life—and was probably hungry!

Throughout God’s Word, there is wordplay, absurdity, sarcasm (see Elijah with the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18) and other forms of humor. God enjoys laughing and making others laugh. He does this in a perfectly balanced way. We should strive to do the same.

Everyone Is Different

While everyone has the capability to be funny, we are not all cut the same way. There are many different forms of humor. Some will fit your personality better than others. The key is to find what works best for you. Here are a few examples.

Physical: This involves using your body to make others laugh. It could be exaggerated gestures or facial expressions. These can be used to embellish a story or punchline to add even more humor to a situation.

Wordplay: This includes puns and twisting words for humorous effect. If you use this form of humor, people just might find you “punny.”

Observational: This is poking fun at everyday life. The best jokes in this vein are noting something that most everyone does—then pointing it out in a humorous way.

Exaggeration: Usually, these jokes are set up by mentioning something common and then exaggerating one or more aspects of it until it sounds ludicrous and funny. Years ago, a late-night talk show host set up a joke like this: “You know, I was visiting a small town last week.”

The punchline: “The Enter and Exit signs for the town were on the same pole.”

Dry: Also known as deadpan, this is when a joke is delivered in a serious manner, with no warning that a joke is incoming. It usually takes a few seconds to sink in that a person said something hilarious!

These are just a few examples. There are many more. You may naturally be better at some forms of comedy than others. When first exploring your sense of humor, it helps to start where you are strongest. Then you can branch out and try new things.

A word of caution: With all types of humor, balance is key. For example, too much physical humor can make you seem overly goofy. Similarly, if you are constantly making fun of yourself, it can erode your credibility.

To avoid such ditches, you need to obey some simple rules of good, clean humor.

Rules of Humor

What makes something funny? This is a simple question with a complicated answer. Entire books have been written on this subject. Comedians spend lifetimes honing their craft. Yet it can be boiled down to a brief definition: Humor is putting two or more things together in a way that surprises and delights.

Simple, sure. But what does it mean?

First focus on the “surprises” part. This involves the delivery—how the joke is stated. When setting up your punchline, it helps to catch your listeners off guard. Your facial expression, voice inflection and body language should not reveal that the punchline or zinger is coming. Typically, you do not want to be the first person to laugh—wait for the other party to start and then you can too.

Yet a surprise is not enough. The content of what you say is just as important. It needs to be funny! But it also needs to be appropriate.

Avoid dirty jokes such as potty humor and sexual innuendo. Also, coarse language and crude gestures should be avoided. These types of humor are popular in the world—but they are sin! Read the apostle Paul’s warning about “filthy communication” in Colossians 3:8. Rise above such cheap laughs in order to develop meaningful, clean humor.

As a general rule, avoid any jokes where there is a “loser.” A common form of this is teasing. If you are making a joke about someone, it should be to build them up. While it takes a little more effort and creativity, you can compliment and rib them at the same time. For example, “Becky received two awards at the art show…how selfish!”

Try to make people laugh while commenting on how successful, kind or likable they are. Avoid making fun of areas of their looks and personality about which they may be insecure.

Another way to make people feel good is to “double down” on their joke. If a friend cracks a wise one, add to their premise. Make it a little more preposterous. This is a good principle for your own jokes too. Set up a funny idea, then exaggerate and add to it, and then do it a little more until your audience is rolling.

Back to the definition of humor. Let’s focus on the first part now, putting together two or more things. This is the creative part of being funny. To elicit laughs, you usually need to bring together a couple of items that when separate are not humorous—but together they can make you roar.

Some ways to construct jokes are opposites, wordplay and exaggeration. These are a twist to add to the surprise!

Here is an example of wordplay: “I once tried to make a square but ended up with an octagon…I suppose that’s what happens when you cut corners.”

Absurd: One famous example from the past is, “I’m such a bad cook. I even burn sushi.” (This is also a form of self-deprecating humor where you make yourself the butt of the joke.)

Exaggeration: “The men in my family tend to be pretty hairy. Esau-level hairy.”

Finally, use specific terms and imagery in your jokes, both in the setup and the punchline. “He was munching on a Pop-Tart” is much funnier than “he was eating breakfast.” Some words are naturally funnier than others. Strive to increase your vocabulary so you have heaps of words in your verbal arsenal.

A few more things to keep in mind. When you deliver a joke, be sure to pause before moving on. Give those listening time to process the humor and laugh.

Also, if you want to tell a longer funny story, make sure to have everyone’s attention first. You can say something like, “Let me tell you about the strange thing that happened to me this morning.” If you still do not have everyone’s attention, add: “You aren’t going to believe what happened. I’m still shocked myself…” Once you have all eyes and ears on you, fully commit. Be excited. Throw in a few exaggerated gestures and facial expressions.

Note: If someone makes their own joke while you are relating your account, laugh along with them—but make sure to regain their attention before diving back in. Saying the person’s name that you are talking with is a good way to do this. You can also simply say, “Listen to what happened next…”

Finally, vocal variety is important in all humor. How you say different words and phrases can be funny in and of themselves. Some things are funnier said faster, others slower. You can speak louder or softer—exuberant or deadpan. Experiment on punching different words and phrases. Have fun! Over time, you will find what works best for you.

Judgment Is Key

How often, when and where you tell jokes or try to make others laugh will take time to learn—but it is very important. Too much humor or too little can both cause problems.

Ecclesiastes 3 helps set the tone by stating there is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (vs. 4). There are times when a wisecrack is a good idea—and other times it is best avoided. It takes time to learn judgment in these matters.

For example, if someone is unhappy, sometimes a little humor will brighten his mood. Other times, humor can make the situation worse.

Proverbs states that laughter can be the best medicine. However, chapter 25 states: “As he that takes away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre [baking soda], so is he that sings songs to a heavy heart” (vs. 20).

In each situation, you have to consider the audience. Humor in such instances should usually be reserved to those you know well and are certain that a well-timed joke will help lighten their mood.

Tread lightly with those you are not close to. It is likely better to simply sympathize with how they are feeling.

Other instances of when to avoid joking are more obvious. Never tell jokes about leaders. Your parents, teachers and minister are a few more examples.

Generally, you do not want to kid with those who are much older than you. Stick with your age group. If you do lightly joke with those younger than you, be gentle—they are looking up to you.

If you make a mistake in any of these areas, apologize and learn from your error.

Overall, being funny should just be one side of your personality. You should be developing every aspect of “you.” If you realize you rely on joking too much in social interactions, pull back from talking so much for a time.

Proverbs 17:28 applies here: “Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”

One more way to learn humor judgment is to watch others. Keep an eye on those who are older and notice when and where jokes are sprinkled in. You can then follow suit.

Start Where You Are

There is one more reason why developing humor is so important: It will make you a more effective person.

The funniest people are also sometimes the most observant. While the average person stands in line at Starbucks, a humorist is observing everything: How people fidget. The different ways people attempt to get the attention of the baristas. The sundry ways people show their impatience.

Once such people observe these things, they mine those human experiences for humor.

Being observant is a trait that you can use to examine and improve yourself, notice the needs of others and be a better student or employee. This is a crucial skill—you might as well laugh while you learn it!

Observation is a key way to become funnier. Look at what others do that makes you laugh. Figure out the specific things they are doing and copy them at first—while later making your own style.

Humor will also make you a more effective communicator. If you hone several types of humor, you can make everyone laugh, from a bored DMV employee to your dad eating eggs at the breakfast table. A well-timed joke can make someone’s day, even if you will only see the person once.

Learning to laugh and make others do the same will also help you get through difficult situations. An important aspect of this is to learn to laugh at yourself.

You should always learn from your mistakes and when you fail. Being able to laugh at your foibles helps you get back up and to keep trying.

Guess what? You are going to need to learn to laugh at yourself when developing your sense of humor.

Jokes are going to fall flat. You may have practiced a hilarious story and then tripped over your words while delivering it—ruining the punchline. Your joke may go over your audience’s heads. You may have had a funny premise but tried to deliver it in an absurd way when it would have been better stated more simply.

Understand: You will fail. But do not despair! When that happens, chuckle at yourself, pick yourself back up and examine what went wrong: What can I do better next time? Was my joke too wordy? Did it not fit my audience?

Your own unique style of comedy will grow in time. In doing so, you will be able to bond better with others and become more like God, who has the greatest sense of humor.

Oh, you may be wondering what you call a camel without a hump? Humphrey.