Blessing, Rejoicing, & Weeping in Homemaking

Examining Scripture:

“Bless them which persecute you:
bless, and curse not,
Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
and weep with them that weep.”
Romans 12:14-15

Evaluating Soil:

Persecution comes from various sources—family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church or social club members, and strangers. However, it’s tragic that many people suffer and succumb to persecution within their own homes. It’s sad, how often we are all affected by how we persecute one another.

Whether intentional or unintentional, persecution happens in the places we live life more than any of us would care to admit. It’s bad enough to see people we don’t know hurt and crying. It’s even worse to know that we may have caused pain, and yet, it happens every day.

Maybe, it’s time we do a little house cleaning in our hearts, and strive to make our homes places of blessing instead of cursing. With God’s help, we could make them homes to rejoice in and find comfort when we weep.

Experiencing Seasons:

It pains me to say that I’ve struggled with expressing compassion from my heart and home during times when I feel persecuted. Sadly, I’ve even cursed and thought evil of people who I’ve felt were enemies to my well-being (including my own husband and family, whom I love very much). And, I was wrong, every…single…time.

I’m not supposed to return evil for evil. I’m supposed to love with the same grace, mercy, and love God extends to me. I’ve had to learn this the hard way. My attitude toward others has affected my health, and cost me peaceful and productive days, peace of mind, wonderful memories, and meaningful relationships.

Embracing Solace:

People need places of solace. Even Jesus slipped away from the crowds, His pressing responsibility, and struggles to spend time with His Holy Father in prayer when we was being persecuted. (Matthew 23:28-39) Our homes should promote spiritual strength and stability through the tough and trying times.

Enjoying Simplicity:

Words carry a lot of weight. They can grant blessing or inflict cursing. They can complicate our lives unnecessarily when we misuse them.

Employing Solutions:

Homemaking isn’t just about making a house homey. It’s about creating a space where we can feel safe, gain strength, take solace, and enjoy satisfaction.

Romans 12:14-15 gives us two choices for how to handle persecution when it enters our homes—with blessing or cursing.

The Greek definition uses the word, “execrate” for “curse.” The Websters Dictionary 1828 defined it this way.

EX’ECRATE, verb transitive 
Literally, to curse; to denounce evil against,
or to imprecate evil on; hence,
to detest utterly; to abhor; to abominate.

To curse someone doesn’t mean to say a dirty or inappropriate word. Cursing goes further and involves speaking evil to or against them, and detesting, abhorring, and abominating them.

How do we bless those who persecute or curse us? From the Greek definition we see that it means to:

• Speak well of (religiously)
• Thank
• Invoke a benediction upon

The Websters Dictionary 1828 defines “benediction:” with some of these behaviors:

• Blessing
• Prayer
• Kind Wishes, uttered in favor of any person or thing;
• A Solemn or Affectionate Invocation of Happiness;
  thanks, expression of gratitude

Blessing is quite different than Cursing.

Imagine what our homes would be like if we expressed more favorable words, prayer, kind wishes, affection, happiness, and gratitude to those we live with. We could all rejoice more.

Bring It Home

If your home is under persecution today, is it filled with blessing or cursing?

Praying for you as we grow together,
Smiles, BRC