VERSE:
Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
— Ecclesiastes 7:3
THOUGHT:
We often shield ourselves from things that would bring us a sad face. We don’t like to look at the pictures of starving children that look like skeletons with swollen stomachs. We don’t like to hear about the horrors of human trafficking – how men in Thailand can have their way with an 18month old baby. We don’t like to think of the millions of people who are on their way to eternal damnation if they were to die today, even though they’ve never heard the Name of Jesus. We don’t like to hear about these things, and we often ignore them as if they are not realities because we don’t like to be sad.
However, today’s verse says that sorrow is better than laughter, because it’s good for our hearts. How is a sad face good for our hearts? One reason is because it takes our attention off of the lesser things, and focuses our attention on the things that really matter. When I see these terrible realities, I all of the sudden don’t think that my bathroom needs remodeling. I don’t think that I can really use a bigger TV. When we think of these things that bring us sorrow, it focuses our attention on Christ’s mandate for the church.
This sorrow is not meant to be a lasting sorrow wherein the child of God walks around looking tattered and beaten down because of all of the atrocities in the world. This sorrow is meant to lead to joy when the child of God is able to be used by God to fix the wrongs that the child was sorrowful over.
APPLICATION:
Be open to letting your heart be broken for the things that break God’s. Don’t shield yourself from things that bring you sorrow. When your face is saddened, don’t harden your heart by ignoring the needs. Give your life to meeting them, either physically, financially or prayerfully.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I invite you to share with me a piece of your heart that breaks for the needs and injustices in the world. I pray that this brokenness would lead to joy when you allow and empower me to be a part of the solution. Help me bring your kingdom to earth, in Jesus’ Name I pray, AMEN!