Yesterday I met with one of my prayer partners. We usually go to a coffee shop, visit and then pray. Yesterday was different. I went through the drive-thru, and then he came and joined me in my truck, Old Rusty.

We’re sitting in the truck praying and he says something like:

“Dear God thank you that you made Andy a clown.”

And this was right in the middle of praying for the world, local churches, Covid19, and other important stuff.

If you ever think you’ve got something going for you and then someone in your inner circle tells God you’re a clown, right in front of you! Well, that’s humbling.

My friend then went on thanking God for me and how my being a clown helped people find perspective and humor even in the darkest times and how my humor drove away tension so they could seek solutions to their circumstances.

After we finished praying and as I was driving home, I realized that he and are very much alike in many ways but very different in some ways. I do use humor in my speaking and writing. I almost always find something about which to laugh. Yet I can be serious, even intellectual at times. God gave me these and other gifts in order to help me communicate Him to this world.

Being a clown for Christ is humbling but not because it means I am a buffoon or an idiot. Now there may be a line up forming to confirm that I am actually an idiot but what can you do with family. Being a clown for Christ is a bit different from the makeup wearing exaggerated circus and nightmare performers. One definition of clown says a clown is someone who acts or is silly. Another definition is that a clown is a farmer or a rustic person. And we are definitely not going to spend any time at all on the definition that claims a clown is a rude boor or a jerk.

The definition of being silly does kind of fit since the things of Christ are silly to this world. Disagree that we evolved from pond scum and you are laughed at. What the world sees as silly, God often sees as wisdom.

I am a clown for Christ which, by the way, is a lot different from just being a clown. A clown’s only purpose is to entertain. Unless you are scared of them, in which case they exist to terrify you. Clowns always stay in character. A sad clown is always sad, a happy one is always happy. They are focused on their craft.

A rodeo clown is an important part of any rodeo. They are part entertainment but mostly they are a buffer between the rider and the animal. After all, bulls can be nasty even without someone jumping on their backs. These clowns distract the bull or horse so the rider can safely exist the area.

Now here is a definition of clown that makes sense. They are someone who distracts you from the dangers and troubles of life and helps you find a place of refuge.

A clown for Christ, such as myself, is silly by the world’s standards. But to the fallen man or woman, we are crucial to leading them to the refuge of Christ’s love and forgiveness.

Sure, I use humor and even funny skits to get the point of the Gospel across. Just like clowns can put people at ease with silly antics, clowns for Christ can put others at ease by not being serious or heavy handed. Clowns allow others to relax, to drop their pretenses and to clear their mind of the clutter of life.

Unlike the clowns of the world, clowns for Christ don’t wear masks. We show ourselves as Christians who can laugh at ourselves and the world around us all the while standing on the rock of Christ.

No matter what gifts you have or your personality type, appreciate who you are and let the light God gave you shine. The world needs us.

The world needs clowns for Christ.

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Andy Becker is a retired counselor and author of The Travelers, a fictionalized account of spiritual warfare (available on Amazon) as is, Stupid Thyroid, a book he co-wrote with his wife, Stella. He and his wife, Stella, lead Lighthouse Ministries which offers love, hope, and encouragement to one of Canada’s poorest and roughest neighborhoods, North Central Regina. His book, The Travelers, is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca