To me, the tragedy of Robin Williams is that he devoted his life to a hopeless cause... Sure, he made people laugh, even me, but in all his efforts he wasn't able to do for anyone, not even himself, what he intended.
I couldn't help picking up one of the magazines and flipping to the story about him. To no surprise, as I was looking for it, the writer said of Robin Williams that "He brought joy to many".
This being the deception of many, that sharing a humorous line and causing people to laugh brings them joy.
Hollywood, as a whole, is a tragedy to me; because really it's all a deception. People seek a role that will gain them stardom, riches, and joy. What they soon find is that what they've gained isn't true joy at all. The seeking never ends.
We hear of young celebrities dealing with drugs, wondering why their life has turned into what it now is. Searching, looking, but very sadly, not finding. We see middle aged celebrities becoming discontent with yet another spouse. They go through another rehab, another program, try this other thing, realizing they can't buy into or marry into joyfulness.
Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." (NKJV)
22 "A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one's strength" (God's Word translation)
This verse is commonly heard, "Laughter does good, like medicine". That is actually an improper translation. I can't find any bible translation, or any definition of the Hebrew word that says "laughter". It's always merry, joyful, or glad.
Laughter alone doesn't bring joy. It can bring temporary pleasure as many of the things of the world can do.
Back to Hollywood and the entertainment industry. They're aware of the affect of so many little things they do, that we, for the most part, have no clue about. What they care most about is making more money. They have no problem using deceitful tactics to do so. Here's an example : Have you ever watched or listened to a program that had laugh tracks? You know, where people are supposedly watching the show be filmed and laughing at every joke, funny or not? It's all fake, taped laughter played at pre-planned times. I realized after I learned this tactic that most of the jokes aren't funny at all.
The laugh tracks trigger something psychologically in our brain that thinks, "because others are laughing whatever was said must have been funny." Once you understand this then programs you once thought were funny won't be as much anymore. But that's a good thing, hopefully it will be one less time thief.
See how easy it is to be deceived and manipulated? There are weekly programs that people tune into thinking that because they laugh they have, or will gain joy.
It seems, Robin Williams had no joy and lived in depression the last years of his life. As Proverbs 17:22 said, " "A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains ones strength." (GW translation). Man made medicine can serve a needful purpose, but without true joy we will remain weak.
True joy is found only in Jesus. It brings me much sorrow, while having this seemingly obvious solution to joy, that so much of the world lives in darkness. Their eyes are blinded to the simple truth that God is joy.
1 John 1:4 "And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one anoher, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
Full joy is that simple! Fellowship the light. When we do that the darkness will be eliminated.
It's my prayer that all would take hold of this and seek The Light, because it is a very dark world and in darkness we fall.
But we can live in joy in this life! I'm going to spend my life doing so, and by God's grace being a light to others.
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