Am I Serious?

SUN., APR. 8, 1984, 5:38 AM
FARM, STUDY

This is an interesting and important question, o son, and one that you shall address in a Ruminations before this year is over. It is interesting because I obviously am serious about all that I have created and help maintain, but also the spirit of fun resides in Me… and how do I balance these? It is important because any departure from pure seriousness seems not to be according to the Scriptures, which do not give evidence of My sense of humor.

First, let Me affirm that I am serious in wanting human persons to be more loving, more forgiving more accepting of one another than they can be without My help. I am serious in offering this constant help to those who seek Me, to those whom I especially seek… to those on different, even divergent paths (seemingly) to spiritual enlightenment. I am serious in punishing some who need such, in order to move forward from opportunities missed or mistakes made. (Some do well with punishment; others less so. I know where it shall be most effective.)

Having affirmed this truth, I go on to reaffirm that I also enjoy what I am and do, that I have the ultimate sense of humor, and that there is a funny facet to most of what happens here in the earth. All life is ultimately spirit, so the concern that some folks have for their bodies, for clothing, and for earthly possessions truly is, from this spiritual perspective, smile-provoking.

Now I have no objection to a proper concern for physical health during an earth life. (I continue to tell you that the profession I have you in is a minor one, but still important.) But it is funny, which shades on into tragic, to see the efforts that go into losing weight in your culture. As Jesus I am always pictured as being slim and trim. If I, as God, had a body (which I could have) would it also be of “ideal weight”, or would it have some middle aged flab or would it be royally portly… or what? Isn’t it rather fun to think of a fat God, even one concerned about losing weight?

I encouraged you, in an earlier Teaching, to consider the humor residing in some perfectly serious stories in the Holy Scriptures. I still recommend this, the premise being that seriousness and fun are in everlasting relationship. The story of Noah, the ark, and the flood, selected by Bill Cosby for his marvelous rendition, is certainly a prime example. Just imagine managing a pair of every animal on earth, feeding them, disposing of their waste… for forty days and nights. Did I intervene? Did I do magical manipulations, like limiting their urine production? The story is a wonderful one of wrath, punishment, forgiveness, and regeneration. It also is hilarious when you try to imagine the details of the actual event.

The crucifixion was not funny, but the range of stories, myths, and interpretations that have arisen… and that have divided groups of Christians from each other… has a humorous quality. It is important that I was resurrected in flesh and bone, with nail marks and the hole in My side. Yet I also passed right through closed doors. Isn’t that just a bit humorous?

There is evidence for evolution and for creation, and serious scientists and serious theologians joust in vital conflict as to the truth each upholds. Isn’t this also just a bit funny… people dividing from one another over details of something as obvious as creation?