One thing we need to remember when we see hatred and violence on display is those people are made in God’s image. When justice prevails, and they are caught and given their consequences, we are not to rejoice out of selfishness, being happy they were stopped. Instead rejoice because it was God being God. God deserves the glory, so when we are happy when our enemies stumble we are not honoring God in the way He intends us to honor Him. Any time an unbeliever dies, it has to hurt God, making a dent in His heart. Every time we cheer at an unbeliever stumbling, it does the same to Him; knowing that one of His creation is reveling in the demise of another’s misfortune. How is that honoring God? Isn’t that the same type of attitude they are displaying? Honoring God is loving what He loves. And that is people. There’s no place in God’s kingdom for arrogance. Celebrating the downfall of another is the opposite of what God really wants. Compassion and mercy are the true mark of one who is close to God’s heart.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.18 For the Lord will be displeased with you and will turn His anger away from them.
Proverbs 24:17-18
An Ordinary Man's Pursuit of the Extraordinary God of the Bible. These are daily insights from reading the Bible from cover to cover yearly. It is intended to point others to the Truth, and inspire people to pursue the God of the Bible individually.
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