"'Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.'"
~Luke 6:25b (ESV)
At first or lasting impression of this verse might be to think it is a sin to laugh or perhaps a sin to be "overly happy." I've had thoughts like this. But once again, the Greek will serve us well!
Let's look at some Greek definitions:
Woe to you who...
Laugh
(G.1070) To laugh (as a sign of satisfaction); laugh.
now, for you shall
Mourn
(G.3396) pěnthěo; from 3997; to grieve (the feeling or act):-mourn, (be-)wail.
and
Weep
(G.2799) klaiō; To wail out loud (as opposed to silently); bewail; weep.
→Bewail: To express sorrow for; grief expressed; lament (Webster's 1828 Dictionary).
Those who laugh in earthly satisfaction shall soon be sorrowed. We see one clear example of this later in chapter twelve where Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool. This character told his soul in effect, "Soul you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax! Partake in the fruits of your labors and place your dependence in them. Eat, drink, be merry." God said to him, "Fool!" because his faith and dependence were cast on the which is perishable and has no eternal value. Becuase of this, his very soul was demanded of him that very day.
But Jesus' warning is to us as well: "So is the one lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). Rich toward God? I thought that was an interesting word to use: toward. Back to the Greek (note the asterisks (*)):
Toward
(G.1519) ěis; - to or into (indicating the place reached or entered); of place, time, or purpose. Abundantly. against, *among, as, at, [back-]ward, before, *by, *concerning, +continual +far more exceeding, for [intent, purpose], fore, +forth...
We are to be rich concerning God, rich by God, rich among God. This is what is missing in the rich fool. Earthly goods are to be used and worked for but our master must be God and our satisfaction in Him alone. We are to store up our riches among the eternal. "No one can serve two masters.... You cannot serve both God and money" (Matt 6:24).
So let us not give laughs of satisfaction because we have goods laid up on earth; they will not last the fire of Judgement Day. They won't! This is not my idea, it is God's promise that everyone's work will be tested and revealed by fire (I Corinthians 3:13).
"God, thank you for Your merciful warnings to the proud and sinful like me. May we not be left weeping now or when our days are through. Rather, let us rejoice today that we have You! That we have all that we need. That we have all that we need in You. Amen."
Challenge and Application Questions
- Are there currently any false hopes that you are aware of in your own heart?
- How have you represented the rich fool?
- How had God rescued you from false hope?
- Do you have an eternal perspective on treasures (earthly and Heavenly)?
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