Dearly beloved, do you rejoice, even secretly in your thoughts, when your personal enemy falls? Are you glad secretly in your heart when your enemy stumbles? Do you feel a sense of vindication or satisfaction when you hear that your enemy has suffered a personal setback or misfortune?
When our enemies fall and stumble, they can fall and stumble into sin, which gives us no right to be elated because love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” (1 Cor 13:6) They can fall and stumble into earthly misfortunes. They may lose a job, see their marriage break up, have problems with their children, contract a serious illness or get involved in an accident. Wicked men secretly smile in their malicious hearts, for there are few things sweeter to the depraved soul of man than to see his enemy having troubles. Having been commanded by God to love their enemies, Christians cannot but be grieved when their enemies fall or stumble in life. They also have to be careful not to rejoice “lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” (Prov 24:18) In other words, when the Lord sees our selfish and vengeful glee, He will be angry at our wicked attitudes and lift His punishment of our enemies. Perhaps He might even turn it upon us like what happened to wicked Haman and the
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Although they may hate us without a cause, we should nevertheless love them. They may ignore and slight us, but we should greet and commend them. They may slander and backbite, but we should bless and praise them. They may hurt us, but “see that none render evil for evil to any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among ourselves, and to all men.” (1 Thess 5:15) And “if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12: