Lately, I’ve been in one of those moods where nostalgia sneaks up on you, gives you a big hug, and then whispers, “Remember home?” After twenty years away, I find myself missing Scotland — even the silly things, like the soap.
Now, let me boggle the American mind for a second. Back home, we had a soap called Imperial Leather. But this wasn’t just soap, oh no. This was soap with a permanent identity crisis. Right in the middle of the bar was a sticker that looked like it had been forged in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The soap would shrink to a sliver, but that sticker? That thing could survive the Tribulation. At one point, I was basically showering with a sticker that occasionally foamed.
And that got me thinking… comedy can be the same way. When I do stand-up, I face two warring worlds inside me. On one hand, I know it’s easy to get laughs with lowbrow humor. But on the other hand, I’ve been called to something different. So I made a choice: I would be a clean comedian.
Now, being a clean comedian is like being Imperial Leather. You’re not flashy. You’re not the edgiest soap on the shelf. But you last. You stick. And in a world soaked with filth, sometimes the cleanest thing is the boldest thing.
Yes, it cuts off some areas of comedy. Not everyone gets Bible jokes, and some people prefer their language a little “fruitier” (as in rotten bananas). But you know what? God didn’t call us to be everyone’s favorite brand. He called us to shine, even in small, silly ways — like soap stickers that refuse to die.
So here’s my question for you today:
What’s your brand of comedy… your brand of living? Do you go for cheap laughs and quick applause, or do you aim for the kind of joy that sticks longer than the soap?
Make thine own application
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