Leap for Joy
by Mary Ann Halloran
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in Heaven.
Luke 6: 22-23
I think it is safe to say that none of us enjoys being excluded and insulted nor thought of as evil for Christ's sake. I sure don't. But the Lord has told us what to do here when it happens. It says leap for joy on that day!
Let me tell you a few steps I go through when I am not voted the most popular in the class.
Tell your hurt to Jesus honestly. He can handle it. Don't sugarcoat it. Get it out so it doesn't fester within you.
Ask God to fill you with his healing love so you don't leave that space where you got it out empty.
Speak forgiveness. "I forgive........"
Ask God to bless them.
Leap for joy! Literally, leap—jump! It really is very freeing.
(Most likely you will have to go through these steps several times.)
Jumping and leaping is a very child-like action to do. Jesus clearly says leap for joy on that day! The sooner you do it the quicker you are freed up and healed. Jesus knows if we don't deal with it quickly, our natural tendency will be to get mad, hit the wall, gossip, and allow Satan time to really get us worked up over it.
You may feel like an idiot jumping around, but it is a simple action of obedience to God's Word that really works. Jesus heals through it. I have learned to literally get up and jump, and I find it makes me happy.
Try it. Get up and leap and praise God! Behold, your reward will be great in Heaven.
God bless,
Mary Ann / Mother Hen