Rejoice or Woe

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

REJOICE OR WOE

Luke 6:23-26

23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. 24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

NIV

Here is the whole of the truth. Although we can parse each of the individual aspects, poor, hungry, weep and hated, and as we can see the opposites, rich, well fed, laugh, and well loved, the truth is actually in the comparisons. Jesus is making the point there is a difference between the life of a believer and that of an unbeliever. As we looked act all the aspects of the believer which is focused on Jesus, and that in doing so our reward is heaven, eternal life and that is cause enough to rejoice and leap for joy, we also see what happens to those who focus on self, woe. The opposite of heaven is woe. It surely would seem the right course of action is to look to Jesus. Who in their right mind would choose woe? Yet it appears some would rather focus on being rich, well fed, and self-comforting, laugh at their sin, and seek the praise of men. Jesus says all of that is their only reward and when their life is finished, woe. He makes is very clear that we believers should not get distracted by all that and put ourselves in jeopardy by becoming just as the unbeliever in our seeking after those things. We have been told to seek first his kingdom and righteousness and he will provide for us that which we need. Be the believer and receive his reward, or be like the unbeliever and get his woe. The choice is clear. But we still have all the temptations to want all the stuff, to be rich, to eat well, to enjoy life, and have people like us. Can we have a little of both worlds? Certainly some people do speak well of us, even unbelievers. Some churches focus on doing so much in the community the unbelieving community will speak well of the church, and maybe just maybe, some of them might visit the church. But if we were to tell them they are sinners who are condemning themselves to hell, they may not speak so well of us. So where is the line? How far do we become like them in hopes they will see Jesus? If we try too hard, we might forget our own focus and begin to see things as the world does, looking for riches, great food, nice clothes, new homes and cars, accepting of our failures, our sins, without remorse, thinking we have none, and enjoying the praise of men. What is our goal? This life or the one which follows? If we say we what to be more like Jesus, then we should start being more like Jesus, telling people the truth, the difference between being able to rejoice or getting the woe.