Golda Meir knew both struggle and success during her life. As prime
minister of Israel, she experienced many episodes of conflict and loss, as well
as the periodic joy of successes and victory in the life of the fledgling State
of Israel. She said of joy and sorrow, “Those who don’t know how to weep with
their whole heart, don’t know how to laugh either.”
The apostle Paul called us to a life of both weeping and rejoicing—but
with a twist. In Romans 12:15, the apostle challenged us to look
outside our own experiences to the needs of others. He said, “Rejoice with
those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
If we rejoice only in our own victories, we miss the wonder of
celebrating the power of the Lord, who desires to accomplish His purposes in
and through others as well. If we mourn only our own losses, we lose the
opportunity to “be there” for those who are hurting by showing them compassion.
Life is filled with the extremes of joy and sorrow, victory and defeat.
But we have been given the privilege of entering into those moments in people’s
lives to see the grace of God at work. Don’t miss it!
Looking to the needs of others honors God. (RBC)
