It takes both courage and talent to stand up in front of fellow

“It takes both courage and talent to stand up in front of fellow human beings and make them crack a smile, and at the same time keep it clean.” Thus spoke Ray Comfort, a man whose words shine with reverence for truth spoken with grace. His saying is not merely a tribute to those who entertain; it is a meditation on the sacred art of laughter, the noblest expression of the human spirit. For to make others laugh — not with mockery, not with vulgarity, but with purity and heart — is a labor of both courage and talent, a rare harmony between strength and gentleness.

To stand before others and draw forth laughter is no small feat. It is to bare the soul before the crowd — to risk failure, misunderstanding, even scorn. Many speak boldly when shielded by anger or pride, but few dare to stand unguarded and bring forth joy. Courage is required to expose one’s heart, to make light of the world’s heaviness, and to hold a mirror to humanity not for judgment, but for delight. The one who does this must possess the bravery of the warrior and the tenderness of the poet.

And yet, talent alone is not enough. Many have wit, many have sharp tongues, but few possess the wisdom to wield humor as a healing blade rather than a weapon. The laughter that cleanses, that uplifts, that stirs the heart without staining it — such laughter comes from purity of spirit. To keep it clean is to resist the easier road of mockery, the lure of cruelty disguised as comedy. It is to craft one’s words with care, to touch truth lightly, yet deeply, leaving behind no wound but the warmth of shared humanity.

Recall the ancient example of Diogenes, the Cynic philosopher, who mocked kings and scholars alike not to humiliate them, but to awaken them. His wit was fierce, yet rooted in truth and integrity. Though his humor sometimes stung, it served a purpose higher than laughter — to reveal hypocrisy and teach humility. In this, he showed that humor can be holy when guided by conscience. Centuries later, in another age, Charlie Chaplin walked the same path through silent film — making the world laugh even in times of despair, yet never resorting to vulgarity. His art was proof that the purest comedy springs not from ridicule, but from compassion.

Indeed, the clean humorist walks a narrow and noble path. It is easier to provoke laughter through shock or scorn than to summon it through insight and kindness. But the one who chooses purity over profanity, meaning over mockery, performs an act of quiet heroism. Such a person reminds us that laughter need not come from cruelty, that joy need not come from corruption. This is the courage that Comfort speaks of — the bravery to shine light without darkness, to uplift without degrading, to entertain while ennobling.

And there lies a deeper wisdom: laughter is not a distraction from life’s burdens — it is a remedy for them. The one who can make others smile gives them momentary freedom from their troubles. To do so honorably, without harming the dignity of others, is to perform a kind of ministry, a sacred service to the human soul. For laughter born of purity cleanses the heart; laughter born of malice poisons it.

Therefore, dear seeker, let this truth be etched in your mind: when you speak, when you jest, when you stand before others, remember that words are power. Use them not to wound, but to heal. If you would make others laugh, do so with the courage of kindness and the talent of restraint. Let your humor reflect wisdom, not bitterness; love, not arrogance. Speak light into the shadows — for in a world grown weary with cynicism, the clean and courageous word is both a gift and a torch.

For the measure of true greatness is not how loudly we can make others laugh, but how deeply we can make them feel uplifted. To make men laugh without diminishing them, to kindle joy without darkness — that is the mark of one who has mastered not only art, but the human heart.