Proverb 24: 17 – 18 TPT
Never gloat when your enemy meets disaster, and don’t be quick to rejoice if he falls. For the Lord, who sees your heart, will be displeased with you and will pity your foe.
It is only natural to feel a little bit of happiness when your nemesis stumbles. That is human nature. Yahweh, however, demands more of us than acting like everyone else. He expects us to rise above the natural to live in the supernatural. We even get the sense that He will be more upset with us for gloating than He will be at the sin of our enemy. We should know better and are called to a higher standard.
God understands that baby Christians are going to make a lot of basic mistakes. They will continue in their unsanctified ways until they begin to mature. He has tolerance for them as long as they are trying and moving forward. Mature Christians, though, are expected to rise above the simple things and move to higher ground. That higher ground is where we are required to forgive, to pray for our enemies and put the needs and concerns of others before our own needs. This is far from easy and at times it doesn’t seem fair. Our baby Christian brothers keep doing stupid stuff, yet God’s patience for them endures. Meanwhile, he requires that we pray for them. There are times I really don’t like it and neither do you, but in the end, being with Father and having Him be pleased with us is the joy of life. After what Jesus did for the idiots in his life, I guess Yahweh isn’t requiring so much of us.
So, when your enemy meets with disaster, wipe the smile from your face and imagine the heart of the Father. Pray for your foe. They will never thank you but God will. Seeing the Father smile at you will be worth the price.