Don't gloat

Proverbs 14:17-18

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

What a tasty morsel it is to gloat over someone's comeuppance. How tempting it is to chew over the fall of someone who has hurt us badly.

Yet the Bible is clear that it is not pleasing to God.

The short book of Obadiah is a warning against such gloating and states:

Obadiah 1:12-14 AMPC

But you should not have gloated over your brother's day, the day when his misfortune came and he was made a stranger; you should not have rejoiced over the sons of Judah in the day of their ruin; you should not have spoken arrogantly in the day of their distress. [13] You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity and ruin; yes, you should not have looked [with delight] on their misery in the day of their calamity and ruin, and not have reached after their army and their possessions in the day of their calamity and ruin. [14] And you should not have stood at the crossway to cut off those of Judah who escaped, neither should you have delivered up those [of Judah] who remained in the day of distress.

If the Lord deals harshly with your foes, be wary of revelling in their demise and taking advantage of their humiliation.

It is a subtle snare and Satan will lure you into it if he can.

Meting out justice is the Lord's domain - but it behoves us to realise that we too rightly belong under judgement.

Romans 12:19

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

It is only through Jesus' amazing grace that we are forgiven and reconciled to God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Prayer

Father God forgive me for gloating over the downfall of others. I admit that in my heart I have secretly enjoyed their day of Reckoning. Help me to see things as you do and remember that I deserve your judgement too, but you gave me amazing grace via the cross of Jesus.