HappySad

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:15-16

This is one of those easy to understand passages, and quoted often, especially when we get alongside those who are going through a hard time. We tend to stress these tough times, mainly because we are comfortable helping others when their humanity is weakest and most frail. This makes us feel good and helpful. However, the verse has another side, and we ignore at our peril.

It has been said often that pride is the greatest sin, and at the root of many, if not all, other sins. Maybe that’s why we don’t find it easy to talk or preach about being happy for others in the happiness of their achievements. When our friends do a great deed, especially for the Kingdom, we don’t usually rush to congratulate them because sometimes we think: Why all the attention, after all I did that same thing ages ago and nobody made a fuss of me? Oh yes, pride goes before a fall, can be unseemly, and very un-Christian.

(By the way, ‘HappySad’ is a word coined by my daughter Heather, and I have used it often!)