Luke records Jesus speaking a different set of warnings.... this is the third...
Luke 6:24-26 "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
Jesus loves everyone of us. None of us are insignificant. We saw in the previous verses that his heart breaks when any of us are going hungry or are in poverty. And he warns his followers not to ignore their responsibility when they have food and money, but to use it to feed and provide for others. Now he does the same thing with laughter. Laughter?
The implication is not to have fun when others are mourning and weeping. And certainly not to have fun at their expense. Jesus' heart breaks not just when people are hungry or in poverty, but when they are mourning and sad too.
I have found it interesting to watch the attitudes of the different teams that my husband plays in tennis. It is just a game, but some are quick to yell "good point" or "great shot" when the other team does well. Others aren't so generous. One Saturday, I was sitting in the bleachers among the other team. They were talking about the small groups they belonged to at church while making ugly comments every time their opponents did well. Their adolescent children sat with them and mimicked their parents. I found the mix of church talk and unsportsmanlike conduct mixing like oil and water. Again, tennis is just a game. But I wondered how these children (or their parents) would react when the stakes were real and higher?
Not only should one not laugh when someone else is hurting, but Jesus puts the responsibility on his followers shoulders to offer comfort. He wants us to love others like he loves them.
The implication is not to have fun when others are mourning and weeping. And certainly not to have fun at their expense. Jesus' heart breaks not just when people are hungry or in poverty, but when they are mourning and sad too.
I have found it interesting to watch the attitudes of the different teams that my husband plays in tennis. It is just a game, but some are quick to yell "good point" or "great shot" when the other team does well. Others aren't so generous. One Saturday, I was sitting in the bleachers among the other team. They were talking about the small groups they belonged to at church while making ugly comments every time their opponents did well. Their adolescent children sat with them and mimicked their parents. I found the mix of church talk and unsportsmanlike conduct mixing like oil and water. Again, tennis is just a game. But I wondered how these children (or their parents) would react when the stakes were real and higher?
Not only should one not laugh when someone else is hurting, but Jesus puts the responsibility on his followers shoulders to offer comfort. He wants us to love others like he loves them.
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