Some years ago, a pastor who was a colleague of mine and I sat at a luncheon with other pastors who did not know either of us personally at the time. When we asked permission to join these men, they rather grudgingly gave permission and there seemed to me to be some rumbling of disapproval at the table that we had sat down with them. My friend and I struck up a conversation about theology, life, and service in the church that was marked by joy and good humor. The brothers sitting with us began to chime in and soon the whole table was laughing and kibitzing. At the end of our time together, one the men who grumbled about our joining the company said, "You guys are a lot more fun than we expected." I was mystified about this comment until my friend pointed out to me that we had the reputation for being conservative pastors and that our colleagues did not expect conservatives to have any fun or to have fun with anyone else. They are thought to be sticks-in-the-mud, dour fellows, nay-sayers, and generally no fun whatever. When we were found to be enjoyable company, despite being conservatives, this slew some stereotypes. May they rest in peace.

Often the world looks at Christians as spoil sports, as though Christians are trying to ruin the fun of everyone else with their rules, and talk of sin and repentance. However, the Bible does not commit us to the countenance of Grant Wood's "American Gothic;" with its pitchfork wielding, dour-faced farm couple. At times, previous generations of Christians gave some impetus to this misunderstanding by forbidding alcoholic beverages as wicked in themselves or dancing as basically satanic. When such theological certainties were perceived to be false and nonsense, it was easy to presume that all moral boundaries were a matter of the prejudices of the sour spoil-sports of a previous generation. If dancing is not sin, could it be that homosexuality might not be too?

Let us not reject the joy which God has granted to humans in the world, for joy too is His creature, given to man for his pleasure. A joyless life will be filled with its own mischief. The Creed still has a first article. The truth does not need to be joyless or dour. We may eat and drink together, share human company, take pleasure in storytelling, and sing with the voices created by God, all without any fear of God's judgment. Such things, when indulged with moderation, are part of what it means to be a human being in the world created by the God of Jesus Christ. Certainly, balance is supported by the moderation and good order establishing the discipline of the New Testament. Within that good order such pleasures may be shared with pagans and Christians alike.

If we know what we are about, we will not be contaminated by the pagans; rather we will seek to contaminate them so that they might know where true joys are to be found. By sharing with us the proximate joys of this world, the question of ultimate joy must arise for those who do not yet know it. If there are little pleasures, there must be one Source of purest pleasure, Jesus, priceless treasure. If this is so, then all we do is God's business. It is God's world; every part of it: inside and outside the church. If the joys of the table may be share with the pagan, then we might be able to introduce the pagan to the Table where Christ is the table server. If a glass of wine can give joy, then the wine that becomes the blood of life might someday give the greatest joy by leading from earthbound conversation to holy discourse on high. Sometimes it is okay for people to find out you are just plain fun.