Don’t gloat over your relative’s misfortune
or be happy when the people of Judah are destroyed.
Don’t brag so much when they’re in distress.
Obadiah 12
S omebody else’s failure can never be your success. When you see someone who has failed and you say to yourself, “See, I am smarter than she is” or “He deserved it,” all you are doing is bringing judgment on yourself, not on them. In Romans 2:1 Paul explains it this way: “No matter who you are, if you judge anyone, you have no excuse. When you judge another person, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.” Their sin, whatever it might be, is theirs to deal with, but as soon as you make it an excuse for your sin, you bring the problem home with you. And in most cases focusing on their sin can lead to your pride.
You have to learn to let God deal with others the way God will deal with them without being happy when they suffer. The most important thing for you is your relationship with God, not with people. Whatever you might think about another person can never lead you to break God’s commandments. When all you want to do is obey him, suddenly you are free from the strain of worrying about human failure and attack because you want only what God wants. And all of a sudden you’re getting happy when other people do well and sad when they fail. And that’s a sure sign you’re becoming a disciple who attracts people to God’s side instead of being just another catty girl who pushes them away.