Don't Want To Be That Way

"But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother
​​In the day of his captivity;
​​Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah
​​In the day of their destruction;
​​Nor should you have spoken proudly
​​In the day of distress."  Obadiah 1:12

We might try to make excuses for Edom, the nation this verse was sent to, by way of making an out for ourselves. However, we don't want to be that way. We must try to be more like that despised Samaritan in the story rather than the priest and the Levite who ignored the injured man or crossed to the other side of the road. We have learned this from the story of the Good Samaritan in our youth in Sunday School, so what is the problem here? A temptation.

Edom fell into that temptation to think more highly of themselves because Judah had been taken down by the Lord. We might fall in a similar way when someone we don't like is demoted at work. Perhaps a downsizing of the company has made a new serf out of a former ruler, so to speak. That ruler was one we really didn't like, and so we share a laugh at his expense. Whoa before the woe comes! Rejoicing in a neighbor's downfall is not the way of the Master that we should follow. Yet, it is so easy to find that thought floating around in there, "He/she has been taken down a notch, therefore I must be right and up one on them." Perhaps it is more of an image with you and less wordy, just a little puffing out of the chest when passing by the new cubicle dweller who used to have an office; a little gloating for old times sake. Either way, we should flee from that pride that caused Edom's fall.

Thank You, dear Lord, for the lessons of the Bible, and may I ask for Your kind help in applying them too!

Bucky