— a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

Have you ever hit your “funny bone”?

If so, you know it’s anything but funny. That sudden jolt of tingling pain shoots down your arm, stopping you mid-sentence and stealing your breath away—like some invisible prankster jabbed a lightning rod into your elbow.

But here’s the twist: it’s not even a bone. The so-called funny bone is actually the ulnar nerve, and it runs just under the skin at your elbow, right near the humerus—the upper arm bone. That’s where the pun comes in: humerus, humorous. A clever wordplay. But for anyone who’s knocked it against a table edge or car door, it’s a punchline that doesn’t land.

Still, think about what’s happening beneath the surface. That little nerve runs from your neck, past your elbow, all the way into your hand—serving your ring and pinky fingers. Its exposure at the elbow makes it vulnerable… but also a marvel.

And that zap you feel when you bump it? That’s not electricity—it’s your ulnar nerve being compressed. Unlike most nerves that are cushioned deep inside your body, the ulnar nerve passes through a shallow groove near your elbow, just under the skin. So when it gets struck or pinched, your brain interprets the sudden pressure as a burst of intense sensation—sometimes sharp, sometimes tingling, often unpleasant. It feels like electricity, but it’s really your nervous system doing its job… loudly.

Like the others, the ulnar nerve carries signals that let us feel touch, temperature, and texture, especially in the pinky and part of the ring finger. These nerves also work together in a deeper way—contributing to our sense of proprioception, the awareness of where our body parts are without needing to see them. That built-in awareness—being able to find our hand in the dark or adjust our grip without thinking—speaks to a design that is quiet, intelligent, and purposeful.

While the ulnar nerve runs along the inside of the arm and controls much of the pinky and ring fingers, it’s not working alone. Two other major nerves help complete the hand’s coordination. The median nerve travels down the center of the forearm and passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist—a narrow passage formed by bones and ligaments—before reaching the thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger on the palm side. The radial nerve runs along the back of the arm, branching out to extend the wrist and fingers and provide sensation to the back of the hand. But among the three, it’s the ulnar nerve—unprotected and placed so near the surface—that demands our attention most dramatically. It reminds us, often with a jolt, just how finely tuned our body’s design really is.

So while all three nerves deserve credit, it’s the ulnar nerve, tucked just beneath the skin and easily overlooked, that stands out. When it’s not playing tricks at the elbow, it’s doing something remarkable: connecting us to the world with grace and precision. Not humorous—but humbling. A small voice in the body that quietly reveals Jehovah’s thoughtful craftsmanship.

The apostle Paul once wrote that “God composed the body” in a way that gives even our less glamorous parts special care. (1 Corinthians 12:24) We humans might find a play on words between humerus and humorous, but what truly deserves our awe is the craftsmanship behind it all. The structure of the arm, the path of the ulnar nerve, and the body’s ability to send warning signals—these weren’t built for laughs. They were built for life. And every detail points to a Creator whose care runs deeper than even our nerves.