Christianity 401: Don't Gloat

Let’s continue to look at the many aspects of vengeance.  We must leave vengeance to the Lord. It’s His and His alone (Romans 12:19). We’ve learned that forgiveness means opening our hands and releasing our offenders to God. When we do so, we open the door for God to avenge us. If we are privy to seeing God’s vindication on earth - which we are not promised - we must be especially vigilant that we don’t gloat. By definition, gloating means “to contemplate or dwell on one's own success or another's misfortune with smugness or malignant pleasure.” Or, “to observe or think about something with triumphant and often malicious satisfaction, gratification, or delight.” Doesn’t sound very Christ-like, does it? Because it’s not. Scripture is clear. We must not gloat when God acts on our behalf: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him” (Proverbs 24:17-18). If we see God’s vindication for us finally taking place, our fleshly response is to gloat. But if we do so, God will take His anger away from our offender. Our job is to let God be God.   When we do so, we humbly submit to His perfect plan. Whether we understand it or not, we trust that His ways are always best. And we leave it at that. Do not fret when evil-doers seem to get by with evil (Psalm 37:1). God knows. He will deal with them justly. God oversees all. Just do not gloat when He brings you vindication.