My Mama had a friend that she would bring around at times. She was a nice older lady, but she would wear you out with one thing. Everything she saw that you had she would say, “I want that.” Not just once per conversation either. She would do this so much that it eventually terminated her and my Mama’s friendship. You see her friend never learned that every blessing isn’t yours.
Now most may not be at her level, but many people have at least a little bit of this in them. Need an example? You’re standing in line at the restaurant to pay for your meal. Your friend standing in front of you steps to the counter to pay his bill. The cashier tells him for whatever reason, “Yours is free today.” If you are honest with yourself your first thought probably isn’t, “That’s nice that they got a free meal.” It’s more likely to be, “What about me? I’d like a free meal.” You see we all like blessings and that’s okay. The problem lies in thinking every blessing is for us. The Bible says Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (Romans 12:15 KJV). We are usually good about weeping with those that weep, but not so good with rejoicing with those that rejoice. If somebody gives our friend a new car, instead of saying, “I wish somebody would give me a new car.” Can we be as happy for them as we would be if we had received it? When someone receives their blessing can it be a blessing to our heart? Can we love others as ourselves that much? When they get that new job to not be envious, but overjoyed for them.
In the parable of the lost coin there is an overlooked detail.
Luke 15:8-9 KJV
8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
When she found her lost coin she called her friends and neighbours. She wouldn’t have done this had they hadn’t a habit of rejoicing with others. If they were only concerned about their own well-being. If they wanted “their” part of every blessing she would have kept this news to herself.
When you hear of others’ good news then leap for joy. Let us love this way. Let us truly rejoice with those that rejoice.
Philippians 2:4-5 EasyEnglish
4 Do not think only about the things that are important to you yourself. But each of you should think also about the things that are important to other people.
5 You should think in the same way as Christ Jesus thought:
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