Heaven is a Playground

Pop culture is replete with characterizations of Christians as being sour, dull, and way too serious about life.

As a Christian, it’s easy to dismiss these characterizations as being unfair. But, that lets us off the hook too easily. And, well, it’s just a sour, dull and way too serious answer to the often hilarious characterizations of us.

Who but the Christian should be most free to laugh at herself? And who but the Christian has a better reason to laugh?

G.K. Chesterton once wrote:

Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. To be at last in such a secure innocence that one can juggle with the universe and the stars, to be so good that can treat everything as a joke—that may be, perhaps, the real end and final holiday of human souls.

I imagine heaven a place where joy overflows the heart in a giggly exhilaration. Yes, giggles—sweet, rapturous giggles like those that a child lets loose when he is tickled.

This will be the joy, the sense, the wonder of heaven’s song. Sin’s weight will be gone. And we, dear believer, free to play the play of plays without the burden of fear.

And so, Christian, why not laugh and play a little now?

Unless, of course, you take yourself to be more holy here than you will find heaven itself.