It must be wonderful to hear an angel laugh. Head back. Mouth open. Eyes slits of uncontrollable joy. And the sound must be, well, heavenly.

It must be wonderful to see a group of angels celebrating together like school boys who just won the championship.

We can make them behave in this wonderful way. Yes, we can bring joy to these special messengers of God.

Jesus said, "I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10). Sinners who repent make angels laugh and celebrate.

It's not easy to repent

We are told that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, but the thought of repenting doesn't make us smile much. We don't like to change, and we don't like to admit a mistake. But the word repent actually means to have to change our mind and admit that we have changed it. That is hard. The muscles tense in a frown . . . never mind the extra effort needed!

It is the admitting part that really gets us. To look down the barrel of the argument and realize that our strongly spoken point was wrong! To see the mess caused by harsh words or actions and realize, "I caused that!" We'd rather excuse what we did or even defend it. It is hard to admit when we are wrong. It is particularly hard to do it out loud to our family or friends or even our enemies—and especially to our God.

Sometimes we say it reluctantly. The words come out, "I'm sorry," but the admission has icicles on it. At other times we say it red hot, angry that we have been caught or that there is no other way but to say it. But these words don't make angels laugh, and no one else is happy either.

We have to wonder whether the angels are doing much laughing and celebrating these days. Sackcloth is out of style. Ash heaps are lonely places. Hearts get broken, but not many come to godly sorrow at the mistakes, failures, and sins that are added to their records. Instead, accusing forefingers point uncontrollably at others when guilt is suggested. Hackles go up. Messengers are shot.

We can make the angels laugh

It's easy to sit and wish piously that some derelict or drunk would get things turned around so the angels could laugh and rejoice again. And the angels would rejoice! But the angels' joy would quickly be overcome by grief at our refusal to know that the "one sinner who repents" is each of us. We need to repent. Often!