Bible League: Living His Word Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.— Romans 12:15 ESV Christians should never be covetous, jealous, or envious. Covetousness occurs when someone wrongfully desires something that rightfully belongs to someone else. Jealousy occurs when someone resents someone else because of what rightfully belongs to them. And envy occurs when someone wants to be the someone else who has what rightfully belongs to them. As can be seen, all three sins are born of selfish and self—centered motives. All three sins are instances of the failure to obey the second great commandment, the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). If a person is caught up in covetousness, jealousy, and envy, then they will have a hard time obeying the commands of the Apostle Paul in our verse for today. First, they will have a hard time rejoicing with those who rejoice. Instead of rejoicing with them, they will be tempted to be sad or bitter. They will be sad that the other person has something that they don't have; they will resent the other person for having it, and they will want to be the other person who has it. How can they rejoice when they're so full of covetousness, jealousy, and envy? Those who genuinely rejoice with those who rejoice, on the other hand, can be happy for other people. They are not so self—centered that they find it difficult to rejoice with others over the good that has happened to them. Second, covetous, jealous, and envious people will have a hard time weeping with those who weep. Instead of weeping with them, they will be tempted to be glad. After all, they may be secretly glad that the other person doesn't have something or has lost something – that it somehow evens the scale between them. Don't expect the covetous, jealous, and envious to truly weep with those who are weeping. Those who genuinely weep with those who weep, on the other hand, can be empathetic with other people. They are not so selfish and self—centered that they find it difficult to weep when their friends have bad things happen to them. Think about your motives. Let us each examine ourselves – is the green monster of envy lurking in your heart and clouding your sympathies? Then pray for a heart that is content as you show true love to your neighbor. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 16 Ezekiel 16 -- Unfaithful Jerusalem and God's Grace NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 -- Fatherly Discipline; A Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.Insight Paul knew that the Thessalonians would face pressure from persecutions, false teachers, worldliness, and apathy to waver from the truth and to leave the faith. So he urged them to “stand firm'' and hold on to the truth they had been taught through both his letters and in person. Challenge We also may face persecution, false teachings, worldliness, and apathy. We should hold on to the truth of Christ's teachings because our lives depend on it. Never forget the reality of Christ's life and love! Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Ecclesiastes 10:9 He that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.Oppressors may get their will of poor and needy men as easily as they can split logs of wood, but they had better mind, for it is a dangerous business, and a splinter from a tree has often killed the woodman. Jesus is persecuted in every injured saint, and he is mighty to avenge his beloved ones. Success in treading down the poor and needy is a thing to be trembled at: if there be no danger to persecutors here there will be great danger hereafter. To cleave wood is a common every-day business, and yet it has its dangers; so then, reader, there are dangers connected with your calling and daily life which it will be well for you to be aware of. We refer not to hazards by flood and field, or by disease and sudden death, but to perils of a spiritual sort. Your occupation may be as humble as log splitting, and yet the devil can tempt you in it. You may be a domestic servant, a farm laborer, or a mechanic, and you may be greatly screened from temptations to the grosser vices, and yet some secret sin may do you damage. Those who dwell at home, and mingle not with the rough world, may yet be endangered by their very seclusion. Nowhere is he safe who thinks himself so. Pride may enter a poor man's heart; avarice may reign in a cottager's bosom; uncleanness may venture into the quietest home; and anger, and envy, and malice may insinuate themselves into the most rural abode. Even in speaking a few words to a servant we may sin; a little purchase at a shop may be the first link in a chain of temptations; the mere looking out of a window may be the beginning of evil. O Lord, how exposed we are! How shall we be secured! To keep ourselves is work too hard for us: only thou thyself art able to preserve us in such a world of evils. Spread thy wings over us, and we, like little chickens, will cower down beneath thee, and feel ourselves safe! Daily Light on the Daily Path Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.Job 4:8 "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it. Hosea 8:7 For they sow the wind And they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; It yields no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up. Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Proverbs 11:18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. Galatians 6:8-10 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. • Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. • So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Proverbs 11:24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. Proverbs 11:25 The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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