Why Jesus Compared Unforgiveness To the Sycamine Tree

…If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
— Luke 17:6

In Luke 17:1-6, Jesus taught His disciples about bitterness and unforgiveness and about how to remove these evil forces from one’s life. As an illustration, Jesus likened these forces to the sycamine tree that was so well known in that part of the world. The word “sycamine” comes from the Greek word sukaminos, and it is the Greek word that refers to a tree that grew throughout the Middle East.

When you understand everything that is connected to the sycamine tree, you’ll know exactly why Jesus chose to use this tree as an example of bitterness and unforgiveness in Luke 17:6. In that verse, Jesus told His disciples, “…If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” Notice that Jesus said, “…Ye might say unto this sycamine tree.…” The word “this” indicates that Jesus was pointing out something very specific to them.

Keep in mind that Jesus was speaking of getting rid of bitterness and unforgiveness. In Luke 17:3, He told the disciples that they needed to forgive those who sinned against them. He then took it to the maximum in Luke 17:4 by saying that even if a brother does something wrong seven times in one day and is each time truly repentant, they were to keep on forgiving that offending brother.

Forgiving once is already a challenge for most people. But to forgive someone seven times in one day almost sounds impossible to many folks. It must have sounded preposterous to the disciples as well, for they said, “…Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). This statement was the equivalent of their saying, “Lord, we don’t know if we have enough faith to forgive so many times in one day. You’ll have to increase our faith if we’re going to do this seven times in one day!”

That is when Jesus began to teach His disciples about speaking to bitterness and unforgiveness. He said, “…If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree.…” When Jesus used the word “this,” it was the equivalent of Jesus’ telling them, “Bitterness and unforgiveness are just like the sycamine tree — and if you really want to be free of these attitudes, you can speak to this menacing growth in your life and command it to be planted in the sea!”

Before we can understand what Jesus taught about getting rid of bitterness and unforgiveness, we first need to see why He used the sycamine tree to illustrate these destructive forces. Was there a particular reason why He didn’t use an oak tree, an apple tree, or a palm tree in this illustration? Why did He use the sycamine tree to symbolize the detrimental effects of bitterness and unforgiveness in a person’s life?

As you look at the characteristics of the sycamine tree listed below, I believe you will comprehend why Jesus used this particular tree in this context.

1. The sycamine tree had a very large and deep root structure.

The sycamine tree was known to have one of the deepest root structures of all trees in the Middle East. It was a vigorous and robust tree that grew to a height of thirty feet or more. Because its roots went down so deep into the earth, it was very difficult to kill. Hot weather and blistering temperatures had little effect on this tree because it was tapped into a water source down deep under the earth. Even cutting it to its base would not guarantee its death because its roots, hidden deep under the ground, would draw from underground sources of water, enabling it to keep resurfacing again and again. In other words, this tree was very difficult to eradicate.

No wonder Jesus used this tree as an example of bitterness and unforgiveness! Like the sycamine tree, bitterness and unforgiveness must be dealt with clear to the roots, or they will keep springing up again and again. The roots of bitterness and unforgiveness go down deep into the human soul, fed by any offense that lies hidden in the soil of the heart. That hidden source of offense will cause these evil forces to resurface in a person’s life over and over again. It will take a serious decision for that person to rip those roots of bitterness and offense out of his heart once and for all so they can’t grow back in the future.

2. The sycamine tree’s wood was the preferred wood for building caskets.

In Egypt and the Middle East, the sycamine tree was considered to be the preferred wood for building caskets and coffins. It grew quickly and in nearly any environment, making it accessible in many different places. It also grew best in dry conditions — the kind of conditions for which the Middle East is famous. These are two reasons sycamine wood was used in so many places for building caskets and coffins.

Again, we can see why this illustration of the sycamine tree is so ideal for portraying bitterness and unforgiveness. Just as the sycamine tree grew very quickly, so does bitterness and unforgiveness. In fact, it doesn’t take too long at all for these evil forces to get out of control and start taking over the whole place! When these fast-growing and ugly attitudes are allowed to grow freely, they not only spoil the condition of your own heart, but they ruin your relationships with other people.

Also, just as the sycamine tree grew easily in every environment, so does bitterness. It doesn’t matter where people are from, where they live, what kind of cultural background they grew up in, or what level of society they belong to — bitterness and unforgiveness grow in human hearts everywhere, for they are universal in their scope of evil influence.

The sycamine tree grew best where little rain fell and water was sparse. Isn’t this just like bitterness and unforgiveness? These negative attitudes flourish where spiritually dry conditions exist. You can almost count on finding bitterness and unforgiveness growing and blossoming where there is no repentance, no joy, and no fresh rain of the Spirit.

And don’t forget that sycamine wood was the preferred wood for building caskets and coffins. What a powerful message this is! It tells us that bitterness and unforgiveness are deadly. Harboring bitterness will spiritually bury you more quickly than anything else! These attitudes are the materials that Satan uses to put you six feet underground!

Let me stress this point to you because it’s so important: If you permit bitterness and unforgiveness to grow in your life, it won’t be long until these attitudes have killed your joy, stolen your peace, and canceled out your spiritual life!

3. The sycamine tree produced a fig that was very bitter to eat.

The sycamine tree and the mulberry tree were very similar in appearance; the two trees even produced a fruit that looked identical. However, the fruit of the sycamine tree was extremely bitter. Its fruit looked just as luscious and delicious as a mulberry fig. But when a person tasted the sycamine fig, he discovered that it was horribly bitter.

Mulberry figs were delicious and therefore expensive. Because of the cost of this fruit, it was primarily eaten by wealthier people. But the sycamine fig was cheap and therefore affordable to poorer people. Because the poor couldn’t afford the luscious mulberry fig, they munched on the sycamine fig as a substitute.

However, the sycamine fig was so bitter that it couldn’t be eaten whole. In order to consume an entire sycamine fig, the eater had to nibble on it a little bit at a time. After a pause, the eater would return to nibble on it again, but he could never devour an entire piece of this fruit at one time; it was just too tart and pungent to eat at one sitting.

Jesus lets us know that like the sycamine fruit, the fruit of bitterness and unforgiveness is bitter, tart, and pungent. Like the fig, most people who are bitter and filled with unforgiveness chew on their feelings for a long time. They nibble on bitterness for a while; then they pause to digest what they’ve eaten. After they have reflected deeply on their offense, they return to the memory table to start nibbling on bitterness again — taking one little bite, then another little bite, then another. As they continue to think and meditate on their offense, they internalize their bitter feelings toward those who have offended them. In the end, their perpetual nibbling on the poisonous fruit of bitterness makes them bitter, sour people themselves.

And just as the primary consumers of the sycamine fruit were poor people, those who sit around and constantly meditate on every wrong that has ever been done to them are usually bound up with all kinds of poverty. Their bitter attitude not only makes them spiritually poor, but they are also frequently defeated, depressed, sick, and financially poor as well.

4. The sycamine tree was pollinated only by wasps.

It is very interesting to note that the sycamine tree was not naturally pollinated. The pollination process was only initiated when a wasp stuck its stinger right into the heart of the fruit. Thus, the tree and its fruit had to be “stung” in order to be reproduced.

Think of how many times you have heard a bitter person say: “I’ve been stung by that person once, but I’m not going to be stung again! What he did hurt me so badly that I’ll never let him get close enough to sting me again!” It is likely that people who make such a statement have been “stung” by a situation that the devil especially devised to pollinate their hearts and souls with bitterness and unforgiveness. When a person talks like this, you can know for sure that the wasp of bitterness got to them!

Jesus said that in order to rid this nuisance from one’s life, a person must have faith the size of “a grain of mustard seed.” The word “grain” is the Greek word kokkos. It describes a seed, a grain, or a very small kernel. Jesus uses the example of a “mustard” seed in this example. The word “mustard” is the Greek word sinapi, which refers to the small mustard plant that grows from a tiny, miniscule seed.

By using this word, Jesus was telling His disciples that a great amount of faith is not needed to deal with bitterness and unforgiveness. Any person who has even a tiny measure of faith can speak to bitterness and unforgiveness and command them to leave — if that is really the desire of his heart.

So what is your desire today, friend? Do you genuinely wish to be free from the bitterness, unforgiveness, and offense that has festered in your soul for so long? Are you ready to rip those destructive roots clear out of your heart so they won’t be able to resurface in your life again? Are you tired of those detrimental attitudes killing your joy, stealing your peace, and nullifying your spiritual life? If so, be sure to read tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem so you can find out exactly how to permanently eradicate these attitudes from your life!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for speaking to my heart about getting rid of bitterness, unforgiveness, and offense. I know from experience that these attitudes are a killer to my spiritual life. When I am filled with bitterness and unforgiveness, I become a sour hostage to my memories. When I am consumed with offense, I lose my joy and peace and my relationships with other people are horribly affected. I thank You for giving me all the faith I need to deal with this issue, Lord. Today I am asking You to help me start the process of ripping those foul roots out of the soil of my heart and soul.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I genuinely wish to be set free from bitterness, unforgiveness, and offense. I am weary of the way these poisonous roots have produced their deadly fruit in my life for so long. I am ready to do whatever is required to rip those roots clear out of my heart so they won’t be able to resurface in my life again. By the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority God has given me, I repent of these detrimental attitudes that have been killing my joy, stealing my peace, and nullifying my spiritual life. By faith I am walking free from these enemies of my soul.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you been harboring ill feelings deep inside your soul that are now beginning to affect your spiritual life? Have you been feeling “dead” on the inside as a result of your tight hold on bitterness, unforgiveness, and offense?

2. Who is that person or group of people against whom you have been harboring these feelings? Did those who offended you do anything to you that you haven’t been guilty of doing to someone else in the past?

3. Has it helped you to hold on so tightly to these feelings of unforgiveness? Has bitterness improved the quality of your life? Have your relationships become richer and fuller as a result of your clinging to offense? What fruit has been produced in your life because you’ve allowed these negative attitudes to fester and grow?

The Power of Teamwork

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
— 1 Corinthians 12:12

Although it may be possible to run a church, business, or organization single-handedly, it is certainly not the most efficient or effective method of operation. Nevertheless, countless people have tried to do so with minimal success. Inevitably, however, these same people eventually get so tired that they just can’t run the whole show anymore. After a while, even the most stalwart become weary of carrying never-ending responsibility alone.

Doing things alone is a course of action that guarantees your venture will never be large. You may do a top-quality job that touches a very small market, but your lack of a team limits your ability to touch very many people at one time. You can run the operation single-handedly on a small scale, but you won’t be able to build a larger church, business, or organization without the manpower needed to touch and serve many people. The philosophy of doing it all single-handedly limits the growth of any organization — not to mention the fact that it can physically wear you out and make you old at an early age!

In First Corinthians 12:12, the apostle Paul compared the Church to the human body, with different parts that are equipped to perform different functions. He says, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Paul uses the word “many” to describe the various parts of the body. This word is translated from the Greek word polus, which describes a huge quantity. But the word polus not only accentuates the fact that there are many members; it also presents the idea that there is great variety among the members.

I like how The Message Bible says it:

You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts — limbs, organs, cells — but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It is exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said goodbye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything.

As believers, we must say goodbye to our old, independent way of thinking and learn how to be integrated into a greater whole. We need each other, for without each other’s input and gifts, we are incomplete.

When God’s people come together as a team to achieve a common goal, their unified effort brings divine power and world-transforming moves of God to the earth! Doctrine, culture, language, and creeds will never bring unity to the Church. But when we become single-focused, working together as a team to win the world to Jesus Christ, that is when genuine unity will come to the Church. And unity is such a powerful force!

For some, unity is a vague, dream-like wish for a day when Christians sweetly smile at each other and sing in harmony; disagreements are resolved and eliminated; and we all say, think, and do the same identical things. But the Bible never promises that a day will come when we all agree about everything! This is a false concept of unity. It’s a fantasy that will never be reached on this earth.

So what is unity? Unity occurs when people are united in action and in passion for a common cause. Their shared goal is so strong that it removes hostilities, puts away disagreements, and gives previously divided people a reason to take their place alongside each other. When this occurs, different gifts, talents, and anointings become connected together, and the result is an amazing river of divine power that achieves the supernatural and accomplishes the impossible.

I can tell you that in our own ministry organization, our leadership team is very gifted, very diverse, and from many different denominational and cultural backgrounds; yet we are extremely united as a ministry. But it is not our culture, language, or doctrine that unites us — it is our common goal to get the Gospel to as many people as we can by God’s grace. This single purpose pulls our whole diverse staff together in phenomenal unity, which is one of the reasons we have had such powerful results. We may be many in number and diverse in gifts and talents, but we are one in purpose.

It is simply a fact that phenomenal results are reaped when concentrated attention is given to building this kind of teamwork. People who become cemented together by a common goal produce unity. And when this kind of chemistry is at work among your team members in your church, ministry, business, or organization, that team becomes a mighty force that helps you reach the goals and visions God has placed in your heart.

So don’t try to fulfill your dream or run your church, ministry, business, or organization single-handedly. If you do, you’ll only serve to physically, mentally, and spiritually exhaust yourself. Why don’t you instead allow God to bring other team members to you who can help you fulfill your task? Don’t settle for accomplishing your goal single-handedly on a small scale. Develop the manpower to build a larger church, business, or organization with enough hands to touch and serve many people!

As other members join your team and begin to use their gifts and talents to press toward the common goal, you’ll find that their help greatly enhances both your effectiveness and your ability to impact this world for God. So why don’t you ask God today to bring you the individuals you need to help you fulfill your God-given assignment?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to thank You in advance for bringing me the team members I need to fulfill the vision You have put in my heart. I don’t want to run this race by myself. I realize that even though I can do part of my assigned task alone, the greatest results can only be achieved with a team. Help me adjust my thinking so that I can think like a team member. Lead my team and me into a true sense of unity so that maximum power can be released through us to a world that desperately needs Jesus.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God has made me a part of an awesome team. Every day we are becoming better and better, and as a result of the unity that exists between us, we are achieving more than we ever dreamed. So much power is released as we strive together to reach the common purpose God has given us. In fact, the impossible is possible, and the supernatural seems natural! With the help of the Holy Spirit, strife is removed and harmony is at work as we all reach toward our common, God-given goal!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever tried to run everything single-handedly and discovered that this was a very difficult way to operate the business, ministry, or department over which the Lord has placed you?

2. When you look around, can you see the gifted, talented people whom God has brought to help you fulfill your God-given dream? Are you allowing them to use their gifts to their full potential? Are you giving them the freedom to use the ideas, insights, and abilities God has given to them? If not, why aren’t you tapping into the treasures God has placed within these important people in your life?

3. What is the single most important goal for your church, ministry, business, or organization? Do you have unity on your team regarding that goal? Does everyone on the team know it is your primary objective so they can rally around it?

Every Knee Will Bow To the Name of Jesus Christ!

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
— Philippians 2:9-11

Merry Christmas! I pray that this will be one of the most wonderful Christmases you have ever known in your entire life! And as you celebrate the first coming of Jesus Christ, don’t forget to make sure your heart is ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ. In fact, I urge you to use today as a special reminder to tell everyone that Jesus is coming again soon!

Because Jesus came to earth the first time and became obedient unto death on the Cross, the Bible joyfully declares: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

My friend, the first time Jesus came to this world, He came as a little baby boy that was born in Bethlehem. But the next time Jesus comes — and it could be at any time — He will come as the Lord of lords and the King of kings! According to the Bible, at that moment “…every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.”

Notice it says that “every knee should bow.” The word “bow” is the Greek word kampto, and it means to bow low. The same word is found in Romans 11:4, Romans 14:11, and Ephesians 3:14, where the apostle Paul uses it to picture a person who bends his knee in acknowledgement of God’s authority. It is an action that expresses honor, respect, humiliation, and worship.

According to Philippians 2:10, a day is coming when those in Heaven, earth, and hell will bow their knees in honor, respect, humility, and worship of Jesus Christ! It is not a question of if people will bow their knees to Jesus; it is only a question of when and how they will do it. Will they freely do it while still living on this earth? Or will they do it from the vantage point of hell? Everyone will bow — including those who have already died and gone to Heaven; those who are still alive when Jesus comes; and even those who have died and are eternally separated from God. All will bow their knees in acknowledgement of Jesus Christ’s Lordship!

And the bending of mankind’s knees in acknowledgement of Jesus’ Lordship will be no quiet affair, for Philippians 2:11 goes on to tell us, “…every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The word “confess” is the Greek word exomologeo, which is a compound of the words ek and homologia. The word ek means out, and the word homologia refers to a confession. When taken as one word, it means to audibly, vocally, and publicly declare a fact. It also means to speak it out, to yell it loudly, or to declare it out. This means Heaven, earth, and hell will resonate and resound with the voices of all who have ever lived as they thunderously shout out and acknowledge: “JESUS IS LORD!”

Just as every knee shall bow, it is also a fact that every person will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! If a person confesses Jesus to be his Lord right now in this life, it guarantees him a place in Heaven. If a person refuses to make that confession now, he will still do it later — only then it will be too late for him to gain a place in Heaven.

How tragic that people die without confessing Jesus as Lord, for a day is coming when even in death, they will be required to make this confession! If they confess Jesus as their Lord now, they reap the benefits of salvation and all the promises of God. If they do it later, it will be an acknowledgement that they were wrong and that Jesus was right; however, it will not change their eternal status.

This Christmas as you celebrate with family and friends, take a few minutes to remind everyone that Jesus is coming again, just as surely as He came the first time. And if anyone has never confessed Jesus as the Lord of his life, offer to take that person into a quiet room. After bowing your knees with him, lead him in a confession of Jesus’ Lordship that brings him into the family of God. Can you think of anything more important that could happen on Christmas Day?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me to be bold today when I see my family and friends. If I see people who I know are not saved, please give me the boldness I need to speak up and ask them to pray with me to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. I don’t want this day to end without taking advantage of any opportunity that arises to present Jesus to someone who needs You and to lead that person in a prayer of salvation. Holy Spirit, I look to You for the wisdom and the boldness I need to be Your instrument in someone else’s life on this special day.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am filled with the Holy Spirit. Right now He is giving me the boldness I need to tell my family and friends about Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross for them. There is no better gift I could give to anyone today than the message of the Gospel, so I am choosing to give an eternal gift in addition to all the other gifts that will be exchanged. The Holy Spirit is helping me recognize opportunities to witness and to pray with people who need to confess Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What family members and friends will you see today who are unsaved?

2. Have you thought about how you could talk to them privately to see if they would like to give their hearts to Jesus on this Christmas Day?

3. Before you go to Christmas festivities today, why don’t you take a few minutes to pray for any unsaved people you will be seeing today, asking the Lord to open a door for you to speak to them about Jesus?

The Real Reason for Christmas

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
— Philippians 2:8

Do you plan on taking the time this Christmas to tell your children or friends about the purpose of Christmas? If so, what will you tell them?

Although we usually meditate on the birth of Jesus at this time of the year, His purpose in coming to earth was not to give us the sweet picture of a baby in a Bethlehem manger. That little baby was born to die for you and for me and thus pay for the forgiveness of our sins. He was born to die on the Cross that we might be reconciled to God.

For this reason, I always told our sons when they were young, “Don’t just think of a baby in a manger at Christmastime. Christmas is about much more than that. It is about God coming to earth in human flesh so He could die on the Cross to pay for your salvation and destroy all the works of the devil in your lives! That is what Christmas is all about!”

People rarely think of the Cross at Christmastime because it is the time set aside to celebrate Jesus’ birth. But in Philippians 2, Paul connects the two thoughts. As Paul writes about God becoming a man, he goes on to express the ultimate reason God chose to take this amazing action. Paul says in verse 8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Because today is Christmas Eve, I want to use this Sparkling Gem to discuss the real reason for Christmas, which is contained in the truths found in this verse.

Philippians 2:8 says that Jesus was “…found in fashion as a man….” That word “fashion” is the Greek word schema. This is extremely important, for this was precisely the same word that was used in ancient times to depict a king who exchanged his kingly garments for a brief period of time for the clothing of a beggar.

How wonderful that the Holy Spirit would inspire the apostle Paul to use this exact word! When Jesus came to earth, it really was a moment when God Almighty shed His glorious appearance and exchanged it for the clothing of human flesh. Although man is wonderfully made, his earthly frame is temporal dust and cannot be compared to the eternal and glorious appearance of God. However, for the sake of our redemption, God laid aside all of His radiant glory, took upon Himself human flesh, and was manifested in the very likeness of a human being.

This is the true story of a King who traded His kingly garments and took upon Himself the clothing of a servant. But the story doesn’t stop there. Jesus — our King who exchanged His royal robes for the clothing of flesh — loved us so much that He “…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”!

The word “humbled” is the Greek word tapeinao, and it means to be humble, to be lowly, and to be willing to stoop to any measure that is needed. This describes the attitude God had when He took upon Himself human flesh. Think of how much humility would be required for God to shed His glory and lower Himself to become like a member of His creation. Consider the greatness of God’s love that drove Him to divest Himself of all His splendor and become like a man. This is amazing to me, particularly when I think of how often the flesh recoils at the thought of being humble or preferring someone else above itself. Yet Jesus humbled Himself “…and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

The word “obedient” tells me that this was not a pleasurable experience that Jesus looked forward to in anticipation. To humble Himself to this extent required Jesus’ deliberate obedience.

As preexistent God, Jesus came to earth for this purpose. But as man dressed in flesh, He despised the thought of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2) and could only endure its shame because He knew of the results that would follow. For Jesus to be obedient as a man, He had to choose to obey the eternal plan of God.

The word “obedient” that is used to describe Jesus is the Greek word hupakouo, from the word hupo, which means under, and the word akouo, which means I hear. When these two words are compounded together, they picture someone who is hupo — under someone else’s authority, and akouo — listening to what that superior is speaking to him. After listening and taking these instructions to heart, this person then carries out the orders of his superior.

Thus, the word hupakouo tells us that obedient people are 1) under authority, 2) listening to what their superior is saying, and 3) carrying out the orders that have been given to them. This is what the word “obedient” means in this verse, and this is what obedience means for you and me.

You see, even Jesus had to come to this place of obedience. Although He knew that He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, that didn’t mean His flesh was excited about dying as the Lamb of God on the Cross. According to this verse in Philippians 2:8, Jesus had to humble Himself and become “obedient” in order to follow God’s plan. He wasn’t looking forward to the experience of death on a Cross; He made a choice to humble Himself and to go to any measure in order to accomplish the Father’s plan.

Part of the Father’s plan was for Jesus to humble Himself “…unto death, even the death of the cross.” The word “unto” is from the Greek word mechri, which is a Greek word that really means to such an extent. The Greek word mechri is sufficient in itself to dramatize the point, but the verse goes on to say that Jesus humbled Himself unto death, “…even the death of the cross.” The word “even” is the Greek word de, which emphatically means EVEN! The Greek carries this idea: “Can you imagine it! Jesus humbled Himself to such a lowly position and became so obedient that He even stooped low enough to die the miserable death of a Cross!”

I heartily recommend that you take the time today to read the April 24 Sparkling Gem in order to refresh your memory on the full process of crucifixion. It was genuinely the worst death a person could ever endure. For Jesus to humble Himself to the point of death, EVEN the death of the Cross, demonstrates how much He was willing to humble Himself to redeem you and me.

Just think of it — Almighty God, clothed in radiant glory from eternity past, came to this earth formed as a human being in the womb of a human mother for one purpose: so that He could one day die a miserable death on a Cross to purchase our salvation! All of this required humility on a level far beyond anything we could ever comprehend or anything that has ever been requested of any of us. Yet this was the reason Jesus came; therefore, He chose to be obedient to the very end, humbling Himself to the point of dying a humiliating death on a Cross and thereby purchasing our eternal salvation.

So as you celebrate Christmas tonight and tomorrow, be sure to remember the real purpose of Christmas. It isn’t just a time to reflect on the baby boy who was born in Bethlehem so long ago. That baby was God manifest in the flesh. He was born to die for you and for me. Jesus was so willing to do whatever was required in order to redeem us from Satan and sin that He humbled Himself even unto death on a Cross! That is what Christmas is all about!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for coming to earth so You could redeem me. When I think of the extent to which You were willing to go in order to save me, it makes me want to shout, to celebrate, and to cry with thankfulness. You love me so much, and I am so grateful for that love. Without You, I would still be lost and in sin. But because of everything You have done for me, today I am free; my life is blessed; Jesus is my Lord; Heaven is my home; and Satan has no right to control me. I will be eternally thankful to You for everything You did to save me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that Jesus Christ loves me! He demonstrated His love to me by leaving behind Heaven’s glory and taking upon Himself human flesh. And He did it for one purpose: so that one day He could go to the Cross and die for me and thus reconcile me unto God. There is no need for me to ever feel unloved or unwanted, because Jesus went the ultimate distance to prove that He loves me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When you compare Jesus’ ultimate act of obedience to God with your own willingness to obey God in every area of your life, are you satisfied with your level of obedience to Him? Or do you find yourself falling far short of what He requires?

2. What can you do on this Christmas Eve to more fully “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5)? Are there specific ways you can show humility toward others or prefer someone else above yourself?

3. Now that you’ve read today’s Sparkling Gem, what will change in the way you talk to your children or your friends about the real purpose of Christmas?

Made in the Likeness of Men

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
— Philippians 2:6,7

At this time of the year, believers all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth is one of the greatest miracles that has ever occurred, for it was a moment when God Almighty laid aside His glory and appeared on earth as a man. How wonderful, how marvelous to think that God would temporarily shed His divine appearance and actually take on the flesh of man! Yet this is precisely what happened the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

In Philippians 2:6 and 7, Paul wrote, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

Paul begins by describing the preexistence of Jesus before He came to the earth as a man, saying, “Who, being in the form of God.…” The word “being” is a translation of the Greek word huparcho, a compound of the words hupo and arche. In this case, the word hupo means from, and the word arche means the first, original, or ancient. When it becomes the word huparcho, it depicts something that has always existed.

By using this key word that means to eternally exist, Paul is declaring that Jesus had no beginning but always existed. This also explains Jesus’ statement when He declared, “…Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Thus, Philippians 2:6 could be translated, “Who, eternally existing in the form of God.…” In other words, Jesus’ human birth in Bethlehem was not His beginning but merely His manifestation to man, a brief appearance in His eternal existence.

Paul writes that Jesus always existed in the “form” of God. The word “form” is the Greek word morphe. This word describes an outward form, which means that in Jesus’ preexistence, He looked just like God. He was not just a component of God, nor a symbol of God; in reality, He was God. And as the eternal God Himself, Jesus possessed the very shape and outward appearance of God — a form that includes great splendor, glory, power, and a Presence so strong that no flesh can endure it.

God existed in glory more wonderful than the human mind can comprehend and more powerful than human flesh can endure. Yet He desired to come to earth to purchase redemption for man. Therefore, God had no choice but to reclothe Himself in a manner that could be tolerated by man. This is why He “…made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” This is the true story of Christmas!

The phrase “made himself of no reputation” comes from the Greek word kenos, which means to make empty, to evacuate, to vacate, to deprive, to divest, or to relinquish. Because it was impossible for God to appear to man as God, He had to change His outward form. The only way He could make this limited appearance as a man was to willfully, deliberately, and temporarily let go of all the attributes we usually think of when we consider the characteristics of God. For thirty-three years on this earth, God divested Himself of all His heavenly glory and “…took upon him the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7).

The phrase “took upon him” perfectly describes that marvelous moment when God reached out to lay hold of human flesh and take it upon Himself so that He might appear as a man on the earth. The words “took upon him” are from the Greek word lambano, which means to take, to seize, to catch, to latch on to, to clutch, or to grasp. This word lets us know that God literally reached out from His eternal existence, reached into the material world He had created, and took human flesh upon Himself in “the form of a servant.”

The word “form” in this phrase is exactly the same word that describes Jesus being in the form of God. It is the Greek word morphe. This means that just as Jesus in His preexistent form had all the outward appearance of God, now Jesus existed in the exact form of a man — appearing and living on this earth in exactly the same way as any other man. For a brief time in His eternal existence, Jesus emptied Himself of His divinity and literally became a man in every way.

Not only did God become man, but He took upon Himself the form of a “servant.” This is the Greek word doulos, which refers to a slave. Paul now uses this word to picture the vast difference between Jesus’ preexistent state and His earthly life.

Paul goes on to say that Jesus “…was made in the likeness of men.” The phrase “was made” is the Greek word ginomai, which means to become, indicating that this was not Jesus’ original form but it became His new form. This clearly describes the miracle that occurred when God became a man. Jesus had always existed in the form of God, not the form of man. But taking upon Himself human flesh, He was formed in the womb of the Virgin Mary and became a man.

God literally took upon Himself the “likeness” of a man. The word “likeness” is the Greek word homoioma, which refers to a form or resemblance. This refers not only to Jesus’ being made in the visible likeness of men, but also in the human likeness of men. In other words, when Jesus appeared on this earth, He came in the actual form of a man and was just like man in every way.

Jesus was so completely made in the “likeness” of men that Hebrews 4:15 declares He was even tempted in every way that men are tempted. It says, “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

So we see that when God the Father sent His Son into the world, Jesus left His heavenly home and took upon Himself human flesh. And because of this great exchange, He has stood in our place; He has felt what we feel; He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities; and He intercedes for us with great compassion as our High Priest.

At this time of the year, we are prone to think of Jesus as a little baby in a manger in a Bethlehem stable. Certainly this is true, but we should never forget that Bethlehem was not Jesus’ beginning. It was merely a brief appearance in His eternal existence.

Out of His deep love for you and me, Jesus was willing to leave His majestic realms of glory to enter the realm of humanity. Shedding all His visible attributes that were too much for man’s flesh to endure, He dressed Himself in the clothing of a human being and was manifested in the flesh. That little baby in Bethlehem was the eternal, ever-existent God Almighty, who dressed Himself in human flesh so that He could dwell among men and purchase our salvation.

God’s great love for us drove Him to come down to our level so He could understand us better and later become an effective High Priest on our behalf. Think how wonderful it is that God loves us to such an extent!

When Paul started this text on God becoming a man, he started by saying, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). You see, God wants us to have the same mind or attitude that was demonstrated in Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus was willing to go this incredible distance to reach us, to love us, and to redeem us, we should desire to do the same for others!

This, then, is one of the primary messages of Christmas: We should be willing to divest ourselves of our privileges, such as the convenience and comfort of self-consumed living, and do whatever we can to reach out and help people. This is what Jesus did for us, so shouldn’t we do the same for others?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for loving me so much that You would leave Your realms of majestic glory to come dwell among men. If it had not been for Your great love that compelled You to come and redeem me, today I would still be lost in sin. Because You loved me so much, You were willing to come to this earth and purchase my salvation. You were born as a baby in Bethlehem, yet You always existed, and You came here with a definite plan to save me from an eternity separated from You. Thank You so much for coming, Lord. Thank You for loving me enough to temporarily shed Your glory and become a man so You could pay for my sin and save me to the uttermost!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh! Before He was ever born as a baby in Bethlehem, Jesus always existed, for He is God Almighty. His birth in Bethlehem proves how vast His love is for me. He so desired to have me as His child that He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. And because He dressed Himself in flesh and lived as a man for thirty-three years, He understands everything I face and every temptation that comes my way. Oh, how wonderful it is to know that Jesus loves me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When you think of Christmas and the birth of Jesus, do you ever think of how He existed before He was born in Bethlehem?

2. What do you think it was like for God to shed His glorious appearance and to take upon Himself the flesh of a human being?

3. How does this revelation of Jesus’ act of ultimate humility affect you personally?

You Have Jesus As Your Personal Intercessor!

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
— Hebrews 4:14

According to this verse, Jesus is your High Priest, and He lives forever to make intercession on your behalf (Hebrews 7:25). This means there is never a moment when Jesus Himself is not interceding for your victory and success. The devil may try to tell you that you’re standing all alone in your walk of faith; he may tempt you to believe that no one is aware of the difficulties you are facing as you pursue God’s call on your life. But that isn’t true. Jesus is aware of everything you face, and He’s making intercession for you right now.

No one wants you to succeed more than Jesus Himself. He knows the challenges you will face as you pursue what He has put in your heart. He knows the devil will try to abort your dream. He knows you will face moments when you are physically tired and mentally exhausted. Jesus understands every single emotion and temptation you will ever face. Remember, He also faced temptation during His own walk of faith.

Hebrews 4:15,16 says, “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

This verse says that we are to come “…boldly unto the throne of grace….” The word “boldly” vividly portrays how much God wants you to come to Him, for it is the Greek word parresia, which gives the idea of boldness, frankness, forthrightness, and outspokenness. This clearly means God wants you to be very direct about telling Him when you need help! You never have to be timid or fearful about telling the Lord exactly what you are facing and what you need, because He encourages you to speak up and be bold!

When you come to this wonderful throne of grace, this verse promises that you will “…find grace to help in time of need.” The word “time” is the Greek word eukairos, and it describes a well-timed moment, the right time, a convenient time, a suitable time, or an appropriate time. You see, there is no better time for you to approach the Lord boldly than when you have a need. That is an appropriate time for you to be bold with Him and to really express your heart.

As our High Priest, Jesus understands everything you and I will ever face. He can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. As a father has pity on his children, so the Lord has pity on us (Psalm 103:13). He knows our frame and that we are made of dust (Psalm 103:14). Because Jesus is aware of our infirmities and limitations, He has assumed the role of our Intercessor. As our personal Advocate, Counselor, or Attorney, Jesus pleads our case before the Father and lays claim to our lawful rights.

You need never wonder if you are alone in your journey of faith. Jesus is right there with you, praying and interceding for you, for your calling, and for every need you are facing right now.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so thankful that You beckon me to come boldly to Your throne of grace. It is so reassuring to know that You want me to not only come to You, but to speak up and boldly make my needs known. According to Your Word, there is no better time for me to be bold than when I am facing a need, so today I am going to be very bold and tell You what is on my heart and what I need. I thank You that Jesus is my High Priest and that He understands me and everything that affects my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that no one wants me to succeed more than Jesus Himself. He knows the challenges I face as I pursue what He has put in my heart. He knows I will face moments when I am physically tired and mentally exhausted. Jesus understands every single emotion and temptation I will ever face, and He is always right there to provide grace to help me in my time of need. God wants me to be very direct about telling Him when I need help, so today I come boldly before His throne to tell Him about the needs I am facing in my life. I never have to be timid or fearful about telling the Lord exactly what I need because He encourages me to speak up and be bold!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What is the single greatest need you are facing in your life?

2. Have you been bold to tell the Lord about your needs and what You need for Him to do on your behalf?

3. What is stopping you from going to the throne of grace right now? Don’t you think it would be a good idea for you to take a little time to go before God’s throne today and ask Him for an extra measure of grace to help in time of need?

Don’t Pay Evil Back for Evil!

Recompense to no man evil for evil….
— Romans 12:17

Today’s Sparkling Gem will be short, but pay close attention, because it’s a very important one!

Most all of us have thought at one time or another, Oh, how I want to get back at that person for what he did to me! If you have had that thought in the past, or if you’ve been thinking such thoughts recently, then what we’re going to talk about today should be very helpful to you!

In Romans 12:17, the apostle Paul told us, “Recompense to no man evil for evil….” The word “recompense” in this verse is the Greek word apodidomi, and it literally means to give back or to pay back. It carries the idea of returning something to someone. It is a compound of the words apo, which means back, as to return back, and the word didomi, which means to give. When compounded together, the new word gives the impression of someone who wishes to retaliate, to get even, or to take revenge. This person wants to pay someone back for what the other person did by doing the same thing to him; in other words, he wants to get even with the one who wronged him. In the Greek text, there is a negative in the verse, which means this action is strongly prohibited. Paul is ordering us not to do this!

Romans 12:17 goes on to say, “Recompense to no man evil for evil….” The word “evil” is the Greek word kakos. It describes an action that is harmful, hurtful, or injurious or something done with an evil intent. These are the actions of a person who intentionally acts to cause some kind of damage or ruin in someone else’s life. But the Greek literally says kakon anti kakou, which means evil for evil. It is the idea of a person who thinks, You did wrong to me, so now I’m going to do wrong to you. I’m going to do to you exactly what you did to me. This is what the phrase “evil for evil” means in this verse.

A fuller interpretation of Romans 12:17 could read:

“Don’t get even with people by retaliating and taking revenge. You should never get into the business of intentionally trying to hurt someone just because they hurt you.”

The flesh loves to retaliate against those who have wronged us, but this is not the way Jesus teaches us to behave. Instead of retaliating, we must seek to walk in peace and to have pure hearts before God. It is impossible for us to be pure before God while we are at the same time devising mischief for those who have wronged us. We have to stay out of the mischief business and leave our offenders in the hands of God.

During the holiday season, people frequently get their feelings hurt, misunderstand each other, or simply get their wires crossed because there are so many people to deal with and so much to do. Stress is definitely a factor during this season, often adversely affecting relationships and changing the way people perceive situations.

So if you get upset about something that happens, don’t give in to your emotions and end up in a fight. Rather than letting yourself get all stirred up or allowing yourself to imagine how you can get even with the person who has wronged you, get alone with the Lord and let Him fill your heart with peace. Once His peace is ruling in your heart, you’ll see the situation from an entirely different perspective. Even if someone really did wrong you, God’s peace will enable you to have a positive attitude toward that person. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to walk on in peace with a pure heart before God, free from all bitterness, anger, and strife!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for encouraging me to keep my heart free of strife during this extremely busy time of the year. There is so much to do, so many places I have to be, and so many people I need to see. I admit that the demands of this time of year put a lot of stress and strain on me. In the middle of all these activities, I don’t want the devil to get the best of me, so I am asking You to fill me with Your peace. Let that divine peace rule me and my emotions so I don’t let Satan get the upper hand in any of my relationships during this special time of year.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am free of strain and stress. My heart is filled with the peace of God, and that wonderful peace is ruling my heart, my mind, and my emotions. I am not quickly angered or offended. I walk in patience and kindness, and I am quick to forgive and to overlook the inappropriate actions of other people. Because God’s peace is ruling in my heart, I will remain calm, peaceful, and undisturbed by anything that happens around me during this very busy holiday season.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. By knowing what has happened in the past, are you now able to recognize the people or the circumstances that the devil uses to trigger your emotions and get you upset?

2. If your answer is yes, has the Holy Spirit shown you how to circumvent those moments so the devil can no longer ruffle your feathers and cause you to lose your peace? If your answer is no, have you asked the Holy Spirit to teach you to recognize those moments so they won’t be repeated in your life?

3. When you are tempted to be upset, what helps you the most to be filled with the peace of God? Is it reading the Word for a few minutes, praying, or listening to praise and worship music?

What Is Your Attitude Toward People You Consider To Be Lower Than Yourself?

…Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate….
— Romans 12:16

I’ll never forget the time Denise and I were sitting in a restaurant with a well-known businessman, and this man embarrassed us so badly that we decided we would never go to dinner with him again. My wife and I had been regularly visiting this particular restaurant because we had met a waitress there whom the Lord had really put on our hearts. We didn’t frequent that restaurant because we liked the food; we went there because we wanted to see this young lady come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This businessman had contacted us and asked to visit with us. So we decided to take him to dinner at this restaurant where we had been sharing the message of Jesus with this waitress and with many of the other people who worked there.

All prospects for a nice dinner with our guest were soon shattered, however, because the man began to speak to the waiters and waitresses as if they were dogs! He kept brusquely ordering them to do this and that for him; meanwhile, the waitress — our friend whom we were trying to win to Jesus — looked over at us in shock! No one in that restaurant had ever received such horrible treatment from Denise or me.

As the evening wore on, the situation grew even worse. Our guest began to verbally abuse the waiters and waitresses. He told me, “I hope you don’t mind how I talk to the servers, but they are here to serve me, and I intend to be served well.”

With that, the man again started to rudely bark out more orders to the restaurant staff. Then he starting poking fun at their culture and laughing at them for being Russians. He flashed his Rolex watch and bragged to the servers about his luxury automobile and his massive residence back home. He did everything but say, “I’m better, smarter, and richer than any of you — and I don’t want you to ever forget it.”

Then this businessman asked the servers if they went to church anywhere. How I wished he had kept the Lord out of the conversation, because he was being such a poor example of Jesus Christ!

As dinner was served by fretful restaurant workers, Denise and I tried to turn the conversation to spiritual things. We endeavored to tell our guest about what God was doing in our lives and in our ministry, but it was obvious that he only wanted to talk about things that he thought would impress us. In reality, however, this man was consumed with himself, and we were completely unimpressed with him. He was rude and crude and a very poor example of a Christian businessman.

I excused myself to go to the restroom, but my real purpose in leaving the table was to get an opportunity to go directly to the kitchen and personally apologize for the offensive treatment the entire staff was enduring that night. I pushed open the double doors and walked into the kitchen as if I were a part of the staff; then I asked all the waiters and waitresses to come hear what I had to tell them.

Once they were gathered around me, I apologized profusely for what was happening at our table. They looked at me despondently and said, “Wow, that man is horrible. We are so thankful that you came back here to talk to us. We know that you and your wife are not like that man.”

It simply breaks my heart when I see Christians like this businessman who think too highly of themselves. People like this “speak down” to others they perceive to be lower than they are. This prideful attitude should never be a part of a committed Christian’s behavior. The apostle Paul told us, “…Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate….”

The word “mind” is from the Greek word phroneo. It means to think, to consider, or to ponder. It carries the idea of intense reflection. Furthermore, the Greek uses a negative, which makes this verse a strong prohibition. This means it could be better translated, “…Stop fixating on high things.…” Paul is commanding us not to preoccupy ourselves with or be consumed by “high things.” The words “high things” are from the Greek words ta hupsela. In this verse, they refer to the opinions and behavior patterns that accompany a person who has an attitude of superiority.

The apostle Paul tells us that instead of having this shameful attitude of superiority, we need to learn how to “…condescend to men of low estate….” The word “condescend” is the Greek word sunapago. This is a strange word to be used in this verse, for it is a compound of the words sun — which means together with; the word apo — which means away; and the word ago — which means to be led. A number of scholars say this word conveys the message that those who think too highly of themselves need to move away from (apo) such exalted thinking of themselves and be led (ago) to join or to associate with (sun) men of low estate. I believe that this is exactly what Paul had in mind when he chose to use the word sunapago.

But what does the Bible mean when it speaks of men of “low estate”? The Greek word for “low estate” is actually the word tapeinos, which is the Greek word that means to be humble, modest, simple, and unpretentious. In other words, the word tapeinos describes common, ordinary, everyday, normal people. It does not mean poor.

There are many proud and arrogant poor people, just as there are many humble wealthy people. The word tapeinos (“low estate” or “humble”) doesn’t refer to a person’s financial status; rather, it refers to his attitude toward life, toward himself, and toward others. Regardless of his station in life, he has never allowed himself to think of himself as better than others.

Although there are several possible interpretations of this verse, this is the one I like the most:

“…Stop fixating on things that make you think too highly of yourself and that contribute to an attitude of superiority. You need to leave that snooty thinking behind and come back down to earth so you can learn how to associate with common, ordinary, everyday, normal people….”

I don’t know if you have ever struggled with an attitude of superiority, but if you have, isn’t it time for you to leave behind that way of thinking once and for all? You are not any better than other people. You came into the world the same way everyone else did, and you will leave exactly as everyone else leaves. You were purchased and washed with the same blood of Jesus that is available to every other soul on planet earth.

Even if you have more education, more money, and a higher status in society than most people, that doesn’t make you better. In fact, these privileges make you more responsible, for God expects you to come down to a level where you can use your gifts, talents, and money to be a greater blessing to people!

Especially during this holiday season of the year when so many people are struggling to make ends meet, why don’t you think of ways that you can minister to people in your life whom you normally wouldn’t reach out to? Think of what a difference you can make in someone else’s life by simply reaching out to bless him or her in some special way. Don’t let yourself get away with thinking you’re too busy or too high and mighty to do this, because you’re not. Don’t forget — someone once did this for you; now it is your time to do it for someone else.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for speaking to me today. Forgive me for the times I’ve acted like I was better than other people. I am sorry for that behavior, and I don’t ever want to do it again. I ask You to convict me when I start to act this way and to show me how to quickly change my behavior. I really want to be an example that will make people want to know Jesus, so help me to change any part of my behavior that does not give a proper impression of Your holy character.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I do not have a superior attitude about myself. I have the mind of Christ, and I demonstrate an attitude of love and acceptance to everyone I meet. When people walk away from me, they feel like they have been accepted, embraced, and treated with respect. Every day the Holy Spirit is teaching me more about how to give others a sense of value about themselves. I thank God that an attitude of superiority has no place in me and that each day I am getting better at reaching out to others to benefit and bless their lives.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever encountered a person like the one I described at the beginning of today’s Sparkling Gem? How did that person’s attitude of superiority affect you and others?

2. Have you ever been guilty of having such an attitude? Do you have this attitude in any area of your life right now? If the answer is yes, in what area of your life do you think of yourself as being better than other people?

3. Now that you know this attitude is not acceptable with the Lord, what are you going to do to change your attitude and actions? What steps can you take to start changing the way you relate to people whom you have previously treated as being “less” than you?

Learning To Rejoice And Learning To Weep

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
— Romans 12:15

It’s such a big letdown when you experience something that gets you all excited, but you can’t find anyone who will rejoice with you. Not so long ago, this happened to me.

After waiting a long time for a particular victory, it finally happened! I could hardly wait to tell it, so I summoned together the group I was with at the time to share this mighty victory. However, when I told these people the good news, they just stared back at me with expressionless faces, as if they hadn’t heard a word I had said. When the meeting was dismissed, they left, barely acknowledging the great report I had told them. I was very disappointed because I wanted someone to rejoice with me!

Later that day as I thought about the group’s lack of response to my exciting news, it made me wonder how many times I had done the same thing to people who shared their exciting news with me. As I pondered the expressionless faces I had seen earlier, I realized that the other members of that group may have been loaded down with their own cares or anxieties. Perhaps their own thoughts weighed so heavily on their minds that they weren’t able to really grasp what I had told them.

We should never respond to someone’s good report with a lack of enthusiasm. Regardless of what we’re going through in our own lives, we need to get our focus off ourselves and learn to “rejoice with them that do rejoice….” (Romans 12:15). In this verse, the apostle Paul tells us about the importance of appropriate emotional responses. For instance, when a person rejoices about something wonderful that has happened in his life, then regardless of what we are personally feeling, it is appropriate for us to rejoice with him.

The word “rejoice” is from the Greek word chairo, and it means to be glad, to be full of joy, or to be elated. Furthermore, the word “rejoice” is a command, not a suggestion, which means Paul is ordering us to “rejoice with them that do rejoice….” The word “with” is the word meta. In this particular case, it means to rejoice along with those who are rejoicing and carries the idea of joining on the same level of rejoicing as “them that do rejoice.”

The phrase “them that do rejoice” would be better translated as “the rejoicing ones.” The Holy Spirit is instructing us that when people are thrilled and bubbling over with joy about something that has happened in their lives, we need to join right in with them and rejoice! If they are shouting, we need to shout with them. If they are laughing for joy, we need to laugh with them.

Therefore, this portion of Romans 12:15 presents this idea:

“When people are rejoicing, that’s a time for you to join in the celebration and rejoice along with those who are rejoicing.…”

You might say, “But it’s hard for me to rejoice when I don’t feel like rejoicing.” Well, you just need to get over it and put your flesh out of the way for a few minutes! Let the other person enjoy his exciting news. Think how selfish it would be for you to throw cold water on his joy simply because you don’t “feel like” rejoicing at the moment. What if you were in that person’s shoes and someone responded to you with such a noticeable lack of enthusiasm? It would disappoint you, wouldn’t it?

So rather than disappoint the person who is so excited, push your own emotional struggles out of the way for a few minutes and join in with those who are rejoicing! Besides, when you start to rejoice with a fellow believer, your deliberate rejoicing may be the very thing that sets you free from the emotional quandary that is trying to hold you down!

Paul goes on to tell us that we need to learn to “…weep with them that weep.” The word “weep” is translated from the Greek word klaio, and it means to weep, to wail, to sob, or to shed tears. A very good example of this word is found in Mark 5:38 when Jesus went to Jairus’ house and found “them that wept” because Jairus’ daughter had died. This perfectly presents the idea of weeping and sobbing that is portrayed by the word klaio.

Just as it is appropriate for us to rejoice with those who are rejoicing, it is equally appropriate for us to weep with those who weep. We will all face times when people in our lives weep because of something that has happened or because of an event that has broken their hearts. When that happens, then no matter what we are personally feeling, it is fitting that we show softhearted tenderness toward those individuals, doing all that we can to comfort them.

Brokenhearted people usually need someone’s arms wrapped about them. They also need to feel like they’re not all alone. And sometimes they need a shoulder to cry on — not because that will make everything better, but simply because they need a tender touch in that moment of crisis. This is why Paul says we need to “…weep with them that weep.”

Learning to respond with appropriate emotions is very important. A sullen frown during a time of rejoicing is not appropriate. A laughing and light-hearted spirit is often not appropriate in a room that is filled with brokenness and grief. As believers, we need to be sensitive to the needs of those around us, allowing the Holy Spirit to show us how to respond to the emotional climate in which we find ourselves. If we respond properly, we can be a blessing. But if we respond inappropriately, we can hurt people’s feelings and either dampen their joy or deepen their sorrow.

Let the Holy Spirit be your Teacher and show you how to emotionally respond to the various situations of life. He knows exactly what response is needed and will make you a master of appropriate responses in every situation of life.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me know how to respond appropriately to those who are around me. When they rejoice, help me put aside my own struggles and problems and enter into rejoicing with them. When people weep and I’m not feeling the pain they feel, help me set aside my own light-hearted mood so I can be the kind of friend they need in that vulnerable moment. Holy Spirit, I know You can teach me how to appropriately respond to the different situations I face in life. So I ask You to start teaching me how to be what I need to be in every type of circumstance.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am sensitive to the emotional climate around me. When people are rejoicing, I join in and rejoice with them. When people are weeping and feeling brokenhearted, I am careful to show love and compassion to them. Because the Holy Spirit is teaching me how to appropriately respond to the various situations that arise in life, I am becoming more fit to minister to people in any given circumstance.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever shared a great victory with a person or group of people who did not rejoice along with you? Was their lack of response a great letdown to you?

2. Have you ever seen someone respond inappropriately to a moment of crisis? When people were brokenhearted and weeping, did that person laugh and make jokes at a very serious moment? How did his or her insensitivity to the moment affect the other people in the room?

Are there people in your life right now who need you to rejoice with them or weep with them?

Blessing People Who Deliberately Try to Make Trouble for You

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
— Romans 12:14

It is very easy to bless those who bless you and make you happy, but how are you going to respond to people who persecute you and try to deliberately injure you? Romans 12:14 says that you are to “bless them which persecute you.…”

One day many years ago, my associate brought me the national newspaper of the country where we lived, and to my horror, there was a terrible article about me right on the front page! No one could miss the article because it was so huge — and it was filled with outrageous lies. The article contained nothing more than pure nonsense. However, I soon became very upset thinking about what people would think of me after reading that article. I knew that people tend to believe whatever is printed in the newspaper. The longer I thought about it, the more upset I became. I especially became infuriated with the female reporter who had written this barrage of nonsense and lies.

I wondered how I should respond. Should I put an advertisement in the newspaper to answer the allegations made about me and my ministry? Should I demand that the newspaper fire the woman who wrote this about us? What action should I take in response to this ugly development?

Adding to my shock regarding the article was the fact that the woman who wrote it had sat in my office and told me how blessed she was by our ministry. Only after reading what she wrote did I learn that she had completely lied to me. Nevertheless, rather than give in to my flesh and start ranting and raving about what she had done, I decided to obey the apostle Paul’s instructions in Romans 12:13, where he says, “Bless them which persecute you.…”

The word “bless” is the Greek word eulogeo, a compound of the words eu and logos. The word eu means good or well and depicts any positive emotion. It is where we get the word euphoric. The second part of the word eulogeo is the word logos, which simply means words. But when these two words are compounded into the word eulogeo, it means to say good or positive things. The word eulogeo is where we get the word eulogy, which is the sermon preached at a funeral. It is supposed to be a time when good words are spoken in remembrance of the person who died.

So when Paul tells us to “bless them which persecute you…,” he is literally telling us that we are always to return a blessing for a curse, speaking only good words about those who wish to harm us. Taking this route must be hard on the flesh, for the Greek tense describes a continual action, implying that we must speak well of these people again and again and again. Our flesh may rise up to point the finger of accusation at someone and charge him with dishonest and wrong conduct. But that’s when we have to tell our flesh to be quiet! Instead of falling into the mode of accuser in an attempt to defend ourselves, we are to take the more godly route of blessing those who persecute us.

Paul says that when we are in these situations, we are to “curse not.” The word “curse” is the Greek word kataraomai, which simply means to verbally curse. In the ancient world, it was believed that when a person spoke good words about someone else, those words conveyed a blessing on that other person’s life. Conversely, people believed that when someone spoke curses over another person, his very words caused curses to come upon that person’s life.

This ancient belief in the power of words is actually borne out in the Scriptures. We should never forget the power that is contained in the words we speak. Proverbs 18:21 makes it very clear that the power of life and death is in the tongue.

So rather than get upset with the unbeliever who wrote that ugly article, I felt instructed of the Lord to start speaking blessings into her life. I realized that this journalist wrote that kind of article because she was lost and needed the Lord. So what good would it do if I allowed myself to speak curses over her life? It was time for me to rise to the occasion by deciding to “…bless, and curse not”!

So I started blessing this woman, thanking God for her and believing God to do something truly remarkable to make her life better and more blessed. As it turned out, that horrible article would be the last article of its kind about us to ever appear in that national newspaper. I am convinced that our decision to “…bless, and curse not” caused God’s power to be released in the spirit realm, preventing any future negative press from being printed about us in that particular nation.

If someone has done something bad or injurious to you, I realize how tempting it is to retaliate by saying a lot of bad things about the offender. But in the end, this fleshly reaction won’t help anyone. You never have to fall into this trap that causes you to be bitter and that releases a lot of negative words and curses on those who wronged you. You can take a redemptive approach — choose to speak only good about those who have sought to do you harm.

If you’ll take the right approach to this hurtful situation, your actions can release enough supernatural power to keep this type of event from ever being replicated in the future. But if you respond wrongly, it probably won’t be too long until you’re facing the same situation again.

Never underestimate the importance of how you react to those who persecute you. Your words of blessing and forgiveness can put to bed forever all the past wrongs ever committed against you. On the other hand, your words of retaliation can reignite the fire of opposition so that the same kind of opposition keeps reoccurring again and again.

That’s why it’s so important that you never forget — you must continually be careful with your words!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to forgive those who have done so much wrong by speaking lies and nonsense about me. I don’t understand why they have spoken those lies, but now people are listening to the garbage they have told about me. Rather than respond in anger and speak a bunch of negative words that won’t help anyone, I choose today to speak words of kindness and blessing over those who have tried to hurt me. Lord, I ask You to bless them, change them, help them, and lead them into a higher way of life. In the meantime, I am asking You to use this hurtful situation to bring about needed changes in me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I don’t speak evil words about anyone — not even against those who seek to hurt me and to do harm to my life. My words are powerful, so I select the words I speak very carefully. I choose to bless and to curse not, and I declare that because I have taken this course of action, the strategies that the enemy is trying to use against me will be frustrated and stopped.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you recall a time when you were being verbally persecuted by someone who wanted to do you harm, but the Holy Spirit led you to refrain from speaking evil of that person and to speak only good about him or her?

2. If you do recall such an event in your life, what was the result when you obeyed the Spirit of God and stayed upbeat and positive about your accuser?

3. Can you think of a time when you said a lot of evil words about someone and those words eventually came to pass? Did you later regret that you had said those words?