Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15
“Cultivate the habit of taking delight in the good fortune of others and you will never been without occasion for joy.”
Kerry Alys Robinson in Imagining Abundance: Fundraising, Philanthropy, and a Spiritual Call for Service (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2014) 63.
Robinson keenly notes that we tend to extend sympathy to the hurting but rarely take delight in the good fortune of others. Why? Instead of rejoicing with them we often wish the good fortune had come our way!
My wife, Jenni, shines as a spiritual director, but in few ways brighter than this one. She rejoices with those who rejoice and mourns with those who mourn as good as anyone! She excels because this is a habit she has cultivated.
She meets with dozens of women monthly. Each visit follows an intentional pattern, and she records confidential notes afterwards. She cares how God is working in others. That’s taking delight! God help me take delight in my students this weekend.
What about you? If you want abundant joy in your life in 2018, as Robinson says, “cultivate the habit of taking delight in the good fortune of others.” This form of generosity touches the deepest part of peoples’ lives.