Some psychologist says Jesus is mentally ill because of his outlandish teachings like this.

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy.” (Lk 6:22–23b). At one point, even his own family thought that Jesus was “out of his mind” (Mark 3:21). How could anyone with the right mind teach us to “leap for joy” during hardships? 

However, what the psychologists say becomes irrelevant if we understand what Jesus is really talking about and find it practically useful for your life. The truth is, he is teaching you how to keep your mind healthy when you go through a hardship.

A hardship can take a toll on our body, mind, and spirit. If you don’t know how to handle, it can cost you your health, relationship, leadership, your business, or whatever you strive for. It’s like a poisonous sting on your motivation, ambition, love, and happiness.

My father was imprisoned in Burma for being a Christian philanthropist. Even though he was very resilient, his grief against the injustice had taken a serious toll on his health for years after his release. For the rest of his life, he struggled with the symptoms of PTSD-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Hardships are not easy to cope with especially when it is unjustly hurled against you. If you are doing the right things, you expect good things in return. However, life just doesn’t work that way. Karma is not always true in this fallen world. Not everything that goes around comes around. We wish it does.

You’ve heard the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.” It sounds cynical, but when it falls on you, how would you handle it? Would you let the poison after the hardship continue to destroy your body, mind, and spirit? 

You know that a snake bite doesn’t kill you; it just leaves a couple of fang marks on your body, but it’s the venom that is left in your body that eventually kills you. A hardship is like a snake bite. You must get rid of the venom immediately.

Now, you see why Jesus is making a lot of sense because rejoicing in hardship squeezes the venom out. It’s the only way to fight the destructive nature of hardship. It’s the best antidote against the poison of evil and injustice. You can stop the venom from killing you by a leap of joy at times like that.

When you rejoice in hardship, you throw a hard blow against the devil that expects you to be pinned down and suffer forever. You show him your resilience and endurance with a leap of joy. This is what those psychologists may never understand because they diagnose from a lower level of consciousness.

The Apostle Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippian 4:4). Do you know where he said this? He was in prison at that time. He put Jesus’ teaching into practice, and he wants you to do the same.

Let us all put it into practice. Leap for joy!

Until we meet again, keep cultivating a fruitful life because faith is futile without fruit. Amen!