Proverbs 24:17
Popular culture says ‘follow your heart’. Don’t repress your feelings but let them out. The idea of ‘a stiff upper lip’ or surpressing your emotions is seen as restrictive and harmful. The Bible on the other hand doesn’t see our feelings as always healthy or being a good basis for how we should approach life – because like every other part of us our feelings and emotions are fallen. Not that they will always be misplaced but that they always need to be assessed by a higher standard – the Word of God.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
Or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. (Pr 24:17)
There will be times when we must master our emotions – reign them in and resist their pull on us. Note that the proverb sees emotions as something we are to control – there is no sense of, ‘I can't help it, it’s just how I feel’. So when that bully of a boss, or that obnoxious neighbour, or that meanspirited church member comes a cropper – we must put down any feelings of glee or satisfaction ('do not let your heart rejoice'). We must pull our hearts back into line with God’s.
1 comment:
Husbands - read this and write it on your hearts, then when your wife tells you she's bashed the car, you'll be brimming over with grace.
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