"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." - Romans 12:15
Sup guys!
I've been making my way slowly through Romans and the above passage caught my eyes. If I am to sum up what paul is saying here, i think he meant to say we're to be empathetic towards others. It's yet another one of those "no-brainer passages" but I dont think i've ever had a chance to ponder its full implications. My ESV bible described this section of scripture under the heading "Mark of the True Christian" which is a terrifying idea for me. It's terrifying because it implies that one can be a false christian. To walk around w/ all the pretenses of a saved believer but have an untransformed heart that is, at best, apathetic to others' joys/sorrows. At worst, to secretly wish bad things to happen to ppl one doesn't like or are disappointed when good things occur to them instead. Empathy is not something only for the super holy, but rather it should be a litmus test for all believers in whether we truly obey God's command to love our neighbours. So that while empathy towards the joys and sorrows of others is not a requirement for salvation, it should be something we get better and better at as we learn to love others the way God asks us to.
This is a very difficult task. For the most part, people do not get to observe the wicked thoughts we hold in our minds towards ppl we dont like; and perhaps because of that, we dismiss these little thoughts as "acceptable sins." Except that is a complete oxymoron. Jesus ups the ante on the old mosaic laws by saying if you simply hold hatred in your heart you've committed murder. In other words, what goes on in our mind matters; which is why paul specifically said that our hearts and minds need to be transformed/renewed.
Encouragement for the week, let our thoughts be holy and not simply our deeds and words, so that we glorify God with our minds and edify/encourage others with our lives. Live and think in such a way that the hurts of others pains u and moves u to prayer; and the joys of others gladdens u and gives u an occasion for genuine praise.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"Beloved, let us love one another , for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8
"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others." - Philippians 2:3-4
Apparently some of us haven't seen the double rainbow video yet =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI
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