Jesus tells a little joke

In the One Year Bible today, we read from Luke 18:1-17. In it, Jesus says what must be a joke.

Some people say He was joking when He met with the Samaritan woman who came to Him asking for a miracle. He says that you shouldn't give the children's food to the dogs, and she says that even the dogs get to eat the scraps. I've read Bible commentators who say that He was joking in this exchange. Maybe so, maybe not.

But in today's reading, He had to be joking. He is telling a very insightful story about a judge who has no sense of right and wrong, but he gives in to this woman's demands because she is so persistent. That's a good reminder to be persistent in prayer, because God, who cares about us greatly, will answer our prayers, since even this unjust judge did due to sheer persistence. Good story, good take home lesson. But the joke is in how He says it. He tells us right up front that the judge "doesn't fear God or care about people." And then He tells us that the woman persists, and the judge says to himself, "I neither fear God nor care about people, but..." and you have to laugh. Like the judge stops and says to himself "I don't fear God or care about people, like Jesus told you before He started this story!"

It's like when you're reading in a book and it says, "John wondered what time the train came. He turned to the man next to him and asked, "What time does the train come?"" The repetition is humorous.

And they say that all of the great saints had good senses of humor. And we know that humor is the sign of a healthy, sane mind. So let's enjoy a good laugh, especially when Jesus is telling the joke.

Just to give you a laugh, here's a joke I like:

This man, his dog, and his horse are lost in the desert. As they trudge along, all of them weary from thirst, suddenly the dog says, "I can't take it! I need a drink!"

The man turns and looks at the dog and says, "I didn't know you could talk!!"

The horse turns and says, "Me neither!!"

God, thank You for the gift of humor.