A man will speedily sit down and sympathize with a friend's griefs, but if he sees him honored and esteemed, he is apt to regard him as a rival and does not so readily rejoice with him. This ought not to be; without effort, we ought to be happy in our brother's happiness.
Interpretation
True friendship means celebrating each other's successes as genuinely as we empathize in times of sorrow.
In this quote, Charles Spurgeon highlights the tendency of people to quickly empathize with a friend's sufferings, yet often struggle to share in their joys. He suggests that rather than viewing a friend's success as competition, we should strive to take joy in their happiness, fostering a more supportive and loving relationship.
In practice
During a toast at a wedding celebration, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of supporting each other's accomplishments.
Amusement should be used to do us good “like a medicine”: it must never be used as the food of the man...Many have had all holy thoughts and gracious resolutions stamped out by perpetual trifling. Pleasure so called is the murderer of thought. This is the age of excessive amusement: everybody craves for it, like a babe for its rattle.
When you see no present advantage, walk by faith and not by sight. Do God the honor to trust Him when it comes to matters of loss for the sake of principle.
It is far easier to fight with sin in public than to pray against it in private.
You will never glory in God till first of all God has killed your glorying in yourself.
After faith comes repentance, or, rather, repentance is faith's twin brother and is born at the same time.
["All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant."] The original Hebrew word that has been translated "paths" means "well-worn roads' or "wheel tracks," such ruts as wagons make when they go down our green roads in wet weather and sink in up to the axles. God's ways are at times like heavy wagon tracks that cut deep into our souls, yet all of them are merciful.
Conversation with a friend will only bear good fruit of knowledge when both think only of the matter under consideration and forget that they are friends.
Labor and trouble one can always get through alone, but it takes two to be glad.
Make no man your friend before inquiring how he has used his former friends; for you must expect him to treat you as he has treated them. Be slow to give your friendship, but when you have given it, strive to make it lasting; for it is as reprehensible to make many changes in one's associates as to have no friends at all. Neither test your friends to your own injury nor be willing to forego a test of your companions.
Everyone says they want community and friendship. But mention accountability or commitment to people, and they run the other way.
Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness.
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
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