Craig Clouston

Don’t Gloat

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice.
Proverbs 24:17

“What did I tell you about taking pleasure in other people’s misfortune?” Steve posed the question to his daughter, Karla. “Phil works hard providing for his family. And now that he’s lost his job, they’ll have a rough go of it.”
“I don’t care how rough they have it!” Karla said vehemently. “He’s a jerk, Daddy. I can’t believe you’re taking his side after what he did to Sheila,” she spat.
“Listen, Karla, I don’t approve of your attitude or how he treated Sheila when he broke up with her. She’s my little girl just like you, and it hurt when that happened. But that was fifteen years ago. You need to forgive him and let God work it out,” he advised. “It’s just as wrong for you to gloat over him losing his job as it was for him to cheat on Sheila. It bothers me to see you taking pleasure in his family’s suffering.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy. But he’s still a jerk!” was all she would say.
“You know, Karla, sometimes I wonder what you’re thinking. I’m your father, not your judge. But you profess to have a heart of forgiveness, yet when someone you dislike encounters problems, you find it amusing. That’s not how God wants us to respond. And remember, what goes around comes around.”
“I’ll take my chances,” she said and left the room.

†

It’s tempting and natural to take pleasure in the misfortune of our enemy. It’s also wrong. We are to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. A true test of forgiveness is not in forgiving someone with whom we have a good relationship, but rather, when it is someone we dislike.
It’s easy to find satisfaction when someone we dislike has fallen on hard times. That’s why God instructs us not to gloat when it happens. He asks us to have a spirit of forgiveness and leave retribution, if any is required, to Him.

Prayer

“Help me forgive my enemies, Lord. Teach me to put the past behind me and look to bring healing to their lives instead of rejoicing in their pain. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”