Do you ever feel a certain satisfaction when when people get what’s coming to them? I mean, not necessarily all people, but perhaps people we perceive as bad, obnoxious, or foolish? Like, enjoying seeing them make their bed and then have to sleep in it?
It’s what makes watching action-thrillers so enjoyable. Seeing the bad guy get what’s coming to him.
But I think I’m pretty convinced that mentality is both illogical and sinful.
For one, it makes little sense that we would have unduly received mercy from God when we were least likely to get it, then for us to turn and to not hope for the same for others. It’s like the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18). A master forgives the debt of one of his servants because he cannot pay it, then the servant turns and throws one of his own debtors in jail when he cannot pay him. It just doesn’t make any good sense.
But, God also condemns such an attitude.
Consider Proverbs 24:17-18:
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and do not let your heart be glad when
he stumbles;
Or the Lord will see it and be
displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.
It takes a second to see how this is relevant. In the proverb, we’re warned not to rejoice at the misfortune of our enemies. Then, it’s implied that our enemies stumbling is in fact caused by the Lord’s anger. If we were to rejoice over our enemy’s misfortune, as a punishment to us, God would turn his anger away from them. God would punish such an attitude. Hence, such an attitude is sinful.
But we also see it demonstrated in Jesus when he was on the cross. He prayed for his executioners and mockers: “Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).
I know that I do enjoy that subtle satisfaction of seeing people get-what’s-coming. But I would like to see that affection cease and replace it with a desire to see God pour out mercy and grace.
