Romans 12:14-15 - Rejoicing with Others

Romans 12:14-15 - ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Message:  Thinking of others as more important than yourself
 
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Thus far
I continue to walk through these admonitions in Romans 12; Paul is encouraging me to walk in the Light. The life of a Christian is not an easy road. God asks me to do things that are against my nature. As trials come my way, I am not to immediately seek an escape route, but instead persevere (verse 12); I am to look to serve those in the Body (verse 13); and I am to go out of my way to show love to strangers (verse 13); I am to share a brotherly love with people of all different walks of life (verse 10); I am to continue to hate what is evil (verse 9). God is tasking me to live a different way. As a Christian I should stand out and be distinct. I am to be in the world, but not of the world (John 17). 

The response to being persecuted
These words are of the same thought of Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount that when an evil person slaps us on the cheek, we are to turn the other cheek to him also. We are not to fight fire with fire. Jesus also said in Matthew 5:44 to "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Jesus on the cross said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

In some ways, it is hard to see myself experiencing persecution because of my faith, but I do receive persecution at times. Sometimes it is not from an enemy, but I do have unwelcome things happen in my life. I may have a boss or leader that makes me look foolish or calls out my sin in public. At home, I have a child that talks back to me or a wife that doesn't respect my words. At the mall, I may have a person that doesn't agree with me. I have entitled this section, "The response." My response many times to people is out of anger. I feel attacked. People don't place importance on things like I do. My kids don't listen to my words. They don't respect my view nor my rules or parameters. And yet they expect what is important to them to be important to me. It hurts and often my words in response to them are cutting and demeaning and not kind. I belittle them. I exasperate them. I do not bless them. I am receiving a curse often and I am not responding correctly.

I wish I could turn a switch and have people be more responsive. I think this is often why I like work. People want to do a good job at work, for the most part. They want to do a good job for me. They want to please me. They want me to think highly of them. I get respect at work. I have a title as a manager and that means something to my employees.

I do not have a title at home and I don't feel like my children desire to please me. I think when they do well, they look for my approval or praise, but they don't seek out my joy. It is the not the reason they do things. That is hard. And that response by them often moves me to curse them and belittle them and be sarcastic. And yet, they are the most important people in my life and I am to bless them, even when they don't bless me. I am to respond to them correctly. I am not to feel attacked.

I just don't live in that world much. I do not get respect much at home. I feel often like I am just an innocent bystander and that I just live in my world and do things that I like and should not try to make what is important to me important to others. I am very weak and I need God's strength if I am going to make it.

Rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those that weep
On the same tone, Paul encourages me to celebrate other people's victories. And when a person weeps, I am to weep. I am to come alongside others. I don't mind weeping with those that weep because none of us want to weep and to see someone hurting, I want to naturally help them. But, boy is it hard to rejoice when someone else is rejoicing. It is a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am always in competition mode, with family members, with neighbors, with co-workers, with everyone. I am in this mode of good things happening to me and not to others. Often, when another person gets a new car, it hurts. Why not me? When a person has a nice yard, I wonder why I don't. Even when their grass is growing nicely, I am bothered mine doesn't. I hear of the victories and accomplishments of their children and wonder why mine are not star performers. It is hard to rejoice with others that are rejoicing. It is hard to hear about someone getting an amazing deal on a car. With this too, I don't have the strength and I need God's help.

Promise: I must cultivate a joyful attitude that celebrates when others succeed and receive the things I most want for ourselves. Only the Holy Spirit can enable me to do this, and He will do so as I call upon His assistance.