Verse of the day: Romans
12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with
those who weep.
Our ability
to truly rejoice or weep with others is connected with how genuinely we love
one another. When we love as Jesus loves us, we will be genuinely concerned
with the well-being of others. Without hypocrisy we will be happy for the
successes and joys of others when we see good things happen to them; when we
see them succeed in whatever the Lord allows them to succeed in, rather than
react with pride and envy (that we will try to hide with our fake smiles and
congratulations). It is far too easy to compare what God is doing in someone
else’s life and feel like we too deserve that kind of success our
brothers/sisters are experiencing and enjoying. This can cause us to
superficially congratulate, all the while complaining within ourselves at our
own lack of prosperity. We are to truly rejoice and share in the joy of what
happens in the life of our fellow family members in Christ. Our hatred of evil
should cause us to truly weep and mourn with those who suffer loss or who
suffer the trials of this world. Our willingness to give to others and desire
to be hospitable should make us ready, not only to weep with those who weep,
but also allow God to use us to meet whatever need necessary to help in that
time of suffering. The Word of God tell us that when a member of God’s church
suffers, the church itself suffers; and when a member is honored, the whole
body rejoices (1 Cor 12:26). In Romans 12:4-5, the Apostle reminds us that although
there are many members, with different offices within the body, we are part of
the same body. Therefore, when one part of the body is affected, the whole is
affected. Sadly, too many of us have been taught to be “tough” and hold back
our tears. However, weeping is what helps us to release the pressure that
builds when we experience painful situations. There is nothing sadder than a
Christian, who is supposed to be part of a loving group of people, suffers
quietly and in loneliness; there have been some that have reach such a point of
despair that it has even caused them to think of taking their own lives. This
ought not to be with a child of God who not only has Christ, but should also
have a church family who cares about his/her well-being. Our concerns to
rejoice or weep with our brothers/sister should come from the fact that we are
not only from the same family (God’s family), but also from the fact that we
are all subject to the same trials, sufferings, and temptations (1 Cor 10:13; 1
Pt 5:8-9); and for this reason we should be able to sympathize with one another
in our suffering and stumbling. Jesus, being our High Priest, can sympathize
with our trials and temptations because He too experienced such things, and yet
was without sin (Heb 4:15). Lastly, because we live in a cold world that cares
not about the things of God or the sufferings of the Christian (and often seeks
to persecute us, and cause us suffering), we as God’s children must take extra
care to make ourselves available to support one another. This does not always
mean that we have to have or offer the solution; for in many occasions all we
need is for someone to quietly sit with us and weep with us while we allow God
to help us work through whatever situation He is allowing at the moment. Our
God rejoices at our prosperity (Ps 35:27), but He also afflicted in our
afflictions (Is 63:9). The bottom line is that we are to be toward each other
as our Savior is toward us. Rejoice with each other in true love, without
hypocrisy or envy when prosperity and happy occasions enter the lives of our
brethren; and out of a hatred of evil, and a genuine concern for the well-being
of our brethren, weep with them who weep, and be ready to be used to help in any
manner God chooses to use us, to carry His blessings into the life of another; which
may just be a tender, listening, and sympathetic ear.
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