Here, let me stab you in the heart with a smile

I had a three-hour meeting this past Sunday evening. A three hour meeting is no new thing for me, I am groggy from a meeting last night which ran very close to five hours, longer if you count the prep I put into it in the afternoon. Monday night I had a two hour meeting, Wednesday night was a great prayer meeting... etc. All good.

But Sunday. Wow - the plan was to go around the room and encourage one another. You know, say only 'good' stuff about a person or couple as we advanced around the circle one by one, or couple by couple. But when they got to us, pretty much every person said the same thing, "we have always seen the humor, of course, but there was a time when you were actually serious and wow! It was really great!"

"There is more depth in you than we EVER thought even REMOTELY possible..."

OK - that wasn't exactly how it went, but with my wife as my witness, I promise you it was pretty close. They just don't know how much I have battled with this over the years. I cannot seem to stop the little voice in my head which can come up with a funny line or retort to just about any situation. It has stood me well over my life, there are times when a laugh can ease a tense situation. But with a quick wit, I have found, comes great responsibility. I say about 10% of the things which pop into my head nowadays, and it's exactly for the reason I am writing about today: if people find out you are funny, they then have a very tough time taking you serious.

A friend of mine said I should work on my facial expression - have a funny look and a serious look so completely different that people will not have to guess. I think that is brilliant - but I want to take it a step further. I am shopping on line for a tazer, or low-cost cattle prod. Failing in that, I may settle for just a needle or sharp stick. What I'll do is this - if I am about to say something funny, I'll just go ahead. But if I want to try to be life-change serious, I'll poke you first. The pain will help you focus, and my words will carry far more weight.

I may also have to deal with this 'issue' less because I have a strong feeling that it will thin the heard of my friends a bit.