Through the Good and the Bad

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1, NIV

My wife and I plan out our days of doom and doldrums. She gets four days to sing the blues one week and I get three. Then the next week, I get four days and she gets three. This keeps both of us from being in bad moods at the same time. The kids benefit from the plan, and we can hopefully help encourage the other to get out of the “down in the dumps” quicker.

I’m just kidding about all the scheduling stuff. Seriously, though, God has seemed to bless us in this way. Being the perfect helpmate, my wife seems to be handling the pressures of life better than me when I am struggling to overcome frustration. When she is having a bad day, I seem to be having a better day, and vice versa.

The Bible seems to indicate that we are to spread out our good favor. Just because I am having a good day, doesn’t mean I have a right to keep it all to myself. I need to share my good day with others who aren’t having such a good day. After all, there may come a day when my day will be awful, and I need someone else to help me feel better.

As Christians, our goal should be to encourage others. God has a certain way of rewarding us with like favor. When we “do unto others as we would have them do unto” us, God blesses us with His grace and peace.