Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  Romans 12:15-16 HCSB

A lot is said in these two verses. Paul is reminding the Romans that Christian fellowship is important. We are to be in tune with fellow believers. We are to share in their joy and help them carry their burdens.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. This not only means we should be happy for those who have had good fortune, but what if this person is someone we don’t like? Do we begrudge their happiness? No, we rejoice with them.

Weep with those who weep. As I read this verse, I understand that we should never gloat or take pleasure in someone else’s misfortune. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 24:17-18, “Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him.” If our enemy is sad, we should have compassion.

Warren Wiersbe explains that weeping with someone implies actually caring about the burdens they carry or the pain they are going through. It requires more than a pat on the back or a handshake or a simple, “I’m praying for you.” It involves action. It involves compassion and empathy to allow ourselves to feel for that person and what they are going through.

I don’t know about you, but I often get caught up in my own drama or get “so busy” that I am guilty of not truly listening to people or taking the time to reach out to someone when I know they are going through a hard time. This can also happen when someone is rejoicing, and I am too busy to celebrate their good news.

God created us to be in close fellowship with Him. He made us in His image. And we should never forget 2 Corinthians 1:4, which says, “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” God comforts us so we can comfort others.

Christian fellowship is about more than potluck dinners and pizza nights; it’s about being there for each other in the good times and in the bad. And heaven forbid, should our own family bring us down, we should have a loving church family that can lift us.

God is there for us, and He wants us to be there for others. If we are truly saved, we put God first. When we do this, we care about others. We obey Philippians 2:3-4, which tells us to do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for their own interests, but also for the interests of others.

If your friend rejoices, take the time to acknowledge his good fortune and rejoice with him. If your friend weeps, take time to comfort them as God has comforted you in your times of trouble.

It’s a part of being an ethical Christian. It’s what God expects of us. Don’t let Him down.

Have a great day!