A Funny

The Bible has a way of making jokes that are usually understated. This morning as I was reading in the book of Acts I caught one of those light/funny moments in the midst of a crisis (remember from your English classes how in the midst of tension a writer will often break the tension with a bit of humor?). James has just been killed by Herod. Peter is in prison and the next day is execution. But then an angel shows up. Here's the text: 6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. The funny? The angel strikes Peter on the side. Why not a gentle, pastoral nudge? You can see the angel kind of winding up and whacking him. It's a funny picture. Another thing. Which one of us would have been so calm in the face of death to need a good whack to the side to wake up on the night before our execution?