A group of tourists was strolling along the ocean front when they saw a group of 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 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 rules so many lives!
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 comes 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 our lives to Him will we live His love and so that 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: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
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