Entertaining "Bitterness and Self-Pity"

This time of year you hear a lot of singing about "the most wonderful time of the year" and sugarplums dancing in heads, and jollyness in general, which all has nothing to do with Truth, really.  Jesus Christ has, though, brought true joy to the world, which can be reflected in our lives, every day.  This is reality.  But, in fact, for many people out there, this is not a very pleasant time of the year, in circumstance.  While, for some, this is no fault of their own, today I'm going to talk to the rest of us, who may have brought this dismal state of affairs upon ourselves.  I want to tell you an allegory.  Over the next few days, I will introduce you to various "members of a family" who, unfortunately, I'm sure you will recognize.  But, I hope, you (and I) will not allow them entrance into our lives, home or Christmas this year. May we "keep a watch at the door of our hearts."


Let me first tell you a little about two sisters in this family.  You may know them well, or at least have seen them--they seem to be everywhere at this time of year, especially!  Not a day goes by that you will not read about them or hear about them on the news.  But, the saddest of all, is when they are seen in a Christian's home.  But, well, let me introduce you to them, in case, blessedly, you have not a clue who I am talking about, and maybe you can keep them out of your home this Christmas.  But, others of us have invited them in, and they seem to come every year at this time, ruining the joy of celebrating Jesus' birth, spoiling all our festivities, or threatening to do so.  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  We have allowed them--even invited them--to come in to our homes and our lives and they are hard to get rid of, once they settle in.  I know, for I have entertained these sad sisters at times myself.


Dressed in their finery, you would not recognize them for what they are.  They can disguise themselves well.  You may not even know them by their real names.  Bitterness and Self-Pity are twin sisters.  They are really quite pathetic, as they go hand in hand everywhere together.  Bitterness is bold and arrogant and you will see that she enters first, for she is always looking around at everyone else and everything that is happening somewhere to someone else.  No detail escapes her eye, but unfortunately, she does not like to wear the glasses which her father, the Great Physician, has prescribed for her, and so, she sees everything crooked and skewed. What is worse, she loves to report all the mistaken details to her sister, Self-Pity, who feels so inferior that she can't even stand up straight anymore, but is bent over completely, and won't even look up. In fact, this sister is so bent over that all she can see now is herself.  And so, Self-Pity must trust her view of the world around her to the eyes of her sister, Bitter.  Bitterness is constantly whispering in Self-Pity's ear, encouraging Self-Pity's focus on herself.  Bitterness tells her that Everyone has beautiful homes decorated more nicely than they. Everyone has money for extravagant gifts. Everyone is partying and happy, loved and appreciated by all, especially their families...etc., etc., etc.  Bitterness loves to talk about Everyone, and Self-Pity, not looking at anyone but herself, is quite happy to listen.  If you have allowed these sisters into your home, you will hear their lies so often that you may begin to believe them, and worst of all, to EVEN TAKE OFF THE GLASSES OF GRATEFULNESS and GRACE (which your Father has given you) YOURSELF!


This time of year, these "sisters" appear everywhere.  They are on TV, billboards, in magazines, catalogs, sometimes they even are in our own churches!!  Tomorrow, we will meet a couple more of their siblings (they have quite the family):  We'll meet their sister, Envy, and a brother, Surmising Accuser--he is quite a character, and causes a lot of trouble, but he seems to be everywhere!!  I have heard of his visits in almost every home this year, and though his siblings often are turned away in Christian homes, he is often given admittance, and once one of this family is allowed in, they seem very difficult to get rid of, for they go everywhere together!


We must keep a watch at the door of our hearts, and don't let any of these family members in!

Proverbs 4:23-27:

²³Keep thy heart with all diligence; for

out of it are the issues of life.

 ²⁴Put away from thee a froward mouth, and

perverse lips put far from thee.

 ²⁵Let thine eyes look right on, and let

thine eyelids look straight before thee.

 ²⁶Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

 ²⁷Turn not to the right hand

nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.