I don’t know if you know this or not but the North Carolina Tar-heels lost to Florida State a few weeks ago…
and Duke fans everywhere were happy.
I don’t know if you know this or not but the Duke Blue Devils lost to Florida State just a few days ago…
and Tar-heel fans everywhere were happy.
So, to all those fans the writer of Proverbs has something to say to you..
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased and turn away His anger from him.” (24:17-18)
And everyone laughs…
except Duke and Tar-heel fans.
Why?
Because, we are sure that the writer of Proverbs did not have basketball in mind when he wrote those words.
It’s a little more serious.
It’s when the person that “did you wrong” has troubles of their own and you are glad for it.
It’s when the person we spoke of from yesterday’s post gets what’s coming to them and you are able to see it happen…
and you are happy about it.
Its when the people we “do not like very well” get “what’s coming to them” and we rejoice because of their misfortune.
The writer of Proverbs says…
The Lord does’t like to see that “type” of attitude in us.
Why?
It’s a type of revenge.
It’s very prideful.
It steams from an attitude that we are better than them and nothing good comes from thinking that way.
We need to remember when we are temped to act that way, that there is no humility in rejoicing in someone else’s demise, only our own humiliation.
God wants us to love our enemies, and show concern for them in their time of trouble.
He wants us to have compassion on them, and be sorrowful their choices have lead them to the place of “falling apart.”
This is hard to do…
but is the wisest course of action.
He is not saying you have to go back to be their friend again.
But
He is saying you need to be concerned for their well-being and genuinely wish things were different for them.
After all it’s the same compassion He shows to us from time to time.
I doubt God ever laughs when He sees people in bad circumstances of their own making.
But, I am sure it breaks His heart because He knows things could have been a lot better.
So, it should break our heart as well.
What did you see from the passage today?
BTW – I’m not sure who will be happy after the Wake Forest Demon Deacons play Florida State tomorrow night… but I hope its me!
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