[CC-BY-SA-3.0], By Quartl (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons
Good morning, beloved,
I’m back to the whole idea of a plank again. In my eye. It comes easily as I look back on an amazing life of Whitney Houston. I’m stunned at how easily I can judge a person from written accounts of the surrounding events. I’m cut to the quick by my “sizing” up her death and life. Sheesh. How easy..
Look at this picture…
And I don’t know about you, but my thoughts start wandering. Yet, what if our first response was NOT judging a life by what I hear but praying for those who truly grieve her loss. Her children. Her family.
Paul said to us in 1 Corinthians 13,
6It does not chairō at injustice adikia and unrighteousness, but rejoices (sygchairō) when right and truth prevail.
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Closer to my home, to my life, to me when thoughts of others quickly turn in my mind what can I do? I can pray. I can hope. I can bear up.
Let’s look at the verse in detail..
Rejoice (chairō)
1) to rejoice, be glad
2) to rejoice exceedingly
3) to be well, thrive
4) in salutations, hail!
5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
Such an interesting word, because this word, as you have read was a greeting. Can you imagine walking up to someone and saying, Rejoice! ?
It makes me think of a recent Phineas and Ferb…I digress.. Paul is saying do NOT rejoice. Do not be glad when those around us fall, fail..no matter what these people has transpired between us.
Injustice (adikia)
denotes “unrighteousness,” lit., “unrightness” (a, negative, dike, “right”), a condition of not being right, whether with God, according to the standard of His holiness and righteousness, or with man, according to the standard of what man knows to be right by his conscience.
So interesting here too! Now, Paul uses a different word for rejoice in the next part of verse 6..
Rejoices (sygchairō)
1) to rejoice with, take part in another’s joy
2) to rejoice together, to congratulate
SO we are to rejoice with the person who we don’t like. Ahem. Or don’t respect. Or don’t want anything to do with..or has hurt us. Or walked away from the Lord and is belligerent toward our faith.
We are taking part in one another’s joy. Your friend loses weight and you find it? Your friend gets a new car and you need one? Your friend buys a new outfit and your account couldn’t buy a mint?
Deny oneself. “…disown himself, [h]forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, [i]refuse and give up himself” Luke 9:23 And rejoice with their good fortune! Our God owns the cattle of a thousand hills! Psalm 50
Pick up my cross
a well known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and Romans from the Phoenicians; to it were affixed among the Romans, down to the time of Constantine the Great, the guiltiest criminals, particularly the basest slaves, robbers, the authors and abetters of insurrections, and occasionally in the provinces, at the arbitrary pleasure of the governors, upright and peaceable men also, and even Roman citizens themselves
My sufferings..our heartaches, our worries, our life.. pick it up. Not alone. Never alone. Look to Jesus! Look to the author and protector of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross..He will provide. He will care for our needs.
This is my declaration. No matter what our circumstances God will be glorified. Join me?
Pray on. Pray ON!
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