KEEP ‘EM DOWN!

A group of tourists was strolling along the ocean front when they saw some young boys catching crabs.

They became curious when they saw that the basket they placed the captured crabs in had no top. As a crab was being placed into the basket one of the men said, “You’d better cover the basket or all of the crabs will climb out!”

“Oh no, sir,” said one of the boys. “That’ll never happen. If one of them tries to climb out the others will pull him down.”

How like many who attend church each Sunday and call themselves “disciples.” Whenever they hear of someone being promoted or another who receives an unusual gift or special recognition for a job serving the Lord or a reward for their performance at work, they are unable to rejoice with the one whom God has blessed. They look for reasons to pull that one down. How sad that gossip, jealousy and envy rule!

Paul wrote that “Love is not jealous!” In other words, if I truly love others as God wants me to love them, I do not become jealous when God blesses them. Instead, I rejoice at His goodness to them. Whatever we have or what others have come from God. They are His blessings.

The love that Paul writes about is not a natural love. It is a God-love that comes from Christ dwelling in us. Only as we surrender to Him will we live His love, and others will see Him in the way we live.

Prayer:  Help us, Lord, to rejoice when You bless others and give sincere thanks when You honor us. Fill our hearts with so much love that we will rejoice and be glad. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today:   Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7