Hebrews 12:12

Hebrews 12:12 says, Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;  This comes after the discussion of the chastisement of God.  We are to lift up our hands in victory, which comes through faith in Christ.  When God chastises, or corrects, us, we are not to act defeated.  We are to feel victorious instead.  We should praise God because He loves us enough to chastise us.  Verse thirteen adds, And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.  After lifting up our hands, we are to make straight our paths.  I believe that this means that we are to not only praise God for His correction when we stray from His will, but we are to learn from it.  We are to follow the path that God leads us down so that we might be made whole in God's eyes.  We are also told that we are to live at peace with other people.  We cannot view the lost, even those who mistreat us, as enemies to be destroyed, but must view them as souls to be led to God.  Since there is no hope of salvation after death, and since Christ died for all people, we are to reach out to them through God's love.  Verse fourteen continues, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:  Remembering that this is still under the discussion of the chastisement of God, we know that He guides us to peace and not hatred.  In order to live in peace in the world, we must live in holiness, or with our lives dedicated to God.  Holiness does not mean a state of perfection, but it means with our lives set aside for God.  Verse fifteen states, Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;  I believe that this verse is a further reminder that we are to keep our eyes, or our thoughts, upon God.  It is too easy to falter in living out our faith when our focus is on the world.  If we see other Christians seemingly more blessed than we are it is possible to become bitter.  Verse sixteen adds, Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  We are warned to not become like Esau and value the things of the world more than our birthright as children of God through our faith in Christ.  If we are truly saved, we will never lose our salvation, but we may sacrifice some of the true joy of that salvation by chasing the things of this world.  Some people never accept that birthright because they prefer the things of this world to a relationship with God.  Since Christ died for all, then the birthright as a child of God is available to all, but it must be accepted by faith.  Verse seventeen continues, For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.  Once Esau sold his birthright, he later regretted it, but it was too late to claim it.  Once a person rejects Christ in this life, they may come to regret it in the life to come, but it will be too late.  No amount of bitter tears will change the fate of those who reject the birthright that Christ offers them.