Podcast Summary: Renewing Your Mind
Episode: How Do You Spell "JOY"?
Date: February 4, 2026
Host: Nathan W. Bingham
Featured Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Overview
This episode of "Renewing Your Mind" explores the biblical and practical understanding of joy, particularly how Christians are called not only to experience joy in their own lives but to rejoice with others in their successes—even when circumstances may not favor themselves. Dr. R.C. Sproul examines the nature of true joy, its link to empathy, and its foundation in Christian priorities, using personal anecdotes, scriptural reflection, and a memorable acrostic: JOY—Jesus, Others, Yourself.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Nature of Joy: Beyond Personal Circumstance
- Joy that transcends self:
- Christians are called to find joy not only in their own circumstances but also in the achievements and blessings of others.
- Dr. Sproul shares that our joy “is not to be restricted to our own circumstances or to our own achievements, but that we are to be able to find an occasion of joy for other people for their achievements, for their successes, and for their bounty.” (00:00)
- Scriptural call:
- Referring to Romans 12:15, Sproul highlights, “The Apostle Paul commands us to rejoice with those who rejoice.” (00:27)
Vivid Illustrations: Moments of Joy & Sorrow
- V-E Day (Victory in Europe, WWII):
- Sproul recounts how as a child, the joy of the community at war’s end was palpable and collective, transcending individual experience. (01:40–03:00)
- Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1960 World Series win:
- Personal memory of communal elation—a city united in rare sports victory.
- “I jumped up and I knocked the little 75 year old lady right on the ground, right in front of me...she looked at me and she had a grin from ear to ear...‘I don’t care, sonny…Those Pirates have won the World Series.’” (07:30–08:20)
- Contrast: The sorrow in defeat:
- Reference to “Casey at the Bat”—“There is no joy in Mudville for mighty Casey has struck out.”
- Sports as a metaphor for human longing, disappointment, and vicarious joy or agony. (09:45–11:24)
- Learning to rejoice for others:
- Over time, Sproul learned to appreciate others’ victories—even when they came at his own (or his team’s) expense.
- “Why can’t we rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep?…That our joy is not to be restricted to our own circumstances.” (14:40–15:10)
The Challenge and Freedom of Empathy
- Empathy vs. Sympathy:
- Sproul distinguishes empathy (“to feel what somebody else feels”) from sympathy (“to feel with other people”), rooting both in the life of Jesus. (16:55–18:40)
- Jesus as the model:
- “How else can we explain the shortest verse in the Bible? In the Gospel of John, Jesus wept.” (18:18)
- Though he would raise Lazarus, Jesus truly entered into the sorrow of his friends—exemplifying perfect empathy.
The JOY Acrostic: Jesus, Others, Yourself
- Foundational priorities:
- As children, Christians learn the acronym:
- J = Jesus
- O = Others
- Y = Yourself
- “The secret to joy is to put Jesus first, others second, and yourself third.” (19:48–20:15)
- Sproul acknowledges the simplicity yet profound difficulty of living this out: “But to learn it and to get it in the bloodstream is a Herculean task.” (20:25)
- As children, Christians learn the acronym:
- The reverse leads to emptiness:
- “Part of our loss of joy, or the elusiveness of joy is because we spell it ‘Yog’… where the Y comes first…When that happens, there’s a long way and a big difference between joy and yog.” (20:45–21:05)
- Only by realigning our priorities—Jesus, then others, then ourselves—do we experience true, biblical joy.
Jesus: The Happiest Man Who Ever Lived
- Paradox of Jesus’ joy and sorrow:
- Despite being “a man of sorrows,” Jesus was filled with joy because of his perfect knowledge of and obedience to the Father.
- “I believe that Jesus Christ was the happiest man that ever lived.” (22:10)
- Joy rooted in obedience and self-giving love:
- “His priorities were right. He cared about other people to such a degree that he was able to maintain this kind of virtue.” (22:45)
Real-Life Example: Joy Amid Suffering
- Sproul recounts a conversation with a Christian woman battling cancer who radiated joy—not because of her circumstances, but because her focus was on comforting and encouraging others, not herself. (23:50–24:35)
- “No wonder she can maintain her joy because she’s not so wrapped up in herself.” (24:35)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On community joy:
- “There was this pent up anxiety and pain that suddenly gave way to unspeakable joy.” (03:25, describing V-E Day)
- On sports and the self:
- “Isn’t it interesting that when our team wins, we say ‘we’ won, and when they lose, ‘they’ lose.” (12:45)
- On the scriptural call to empathy:
- “It doesn’t say rejoice with those who are rejoicing except when they are rejoicing because they have beaten you.” (16:35)
- On Jesus’ mindset:
- “Jesus is the only person in history who spelled the word joy without the letter J being at the front. Jesus put himself last in order to make it possible for us to participate in joy.” (21:30–21:50)
- Self-testimony:
- “I have discovered that it is possible for my spirit to be able to rejoice when my team loses.” (15:30)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00–00:27 – Introduction: Joy beyond the self
- 01:40–09:45 – Stories of communal and individual joy and sorrow: V-E Day, Pirates’ victory, Casey at the Bat
- 13:45–18:40 – The lessons of empathy and “rejoicing with those who rejoice”
- 19:48–22:10 – The JOY acrostic and personal application
- 22:10–23:50 – Jesus’ perfect joy and the importance of priorities
- 23:50–24:43 – Example of Christian joy amid suffering
Conclusion
Dr. Sproul calls listeners to “escape from a life where all we care about is ourself” (23:45) and learn instead to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep—living out the biblical ethic of genuine empathy and Christ-likeness. True, lasting joy is a matter of putting Jesus first, others second, and ourselves third—a childlike lesson, but one requiring lifelong commitment and grace.