Proverbs 17:5
Whoever mocks the poor…reproaches his own Creator: ...
And he that is glad at the calamities of others will not go unpunished.
It is important for us to understand that this life works in circles…or what science calls cycles. There is an old saying that says, “What goes around comes around.” However, this is not just a saying, but a defined spiritual law that is woven into the very fiber of life. It is a law that might take time in fulfilling its judgment. But, nonetheless, it is a law…one which just like the law of gravity…never fails!
Hear the words of Christ in Matthew 22:35 “A certain lawyer, asked him a question, saying, Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus responded by saying, “You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and great commandment.” And what an incredibly important commandment this is! We would never allow the reputation of our loved ones to be tarnished, but would with all that is within us protect it, and defend it, even with our very lives! Even so, must we love God. Jesus continued to build upon this thought in his next comment, by saying, “And the second is connected to the first. You will love your neighbor in the same manner as you love yourself.” This brings us to the second part of this proverb…one which also is connected to the first.
People might say, “How can our actions towards others reflect either good or evil upon other people, much less upon God Almighty?” However, just to be honest with you there have been many times in my own life that I felt abandoned by God because of particular events that came upon my life. I wondered why God did not somehow intervene for me at that particular moment. It is amazing the connection between our faith in people and our faith in God. Knowing this, it is imperative that we do everything in our power to protect the good reputation of our Heavenly Father in our interaction with humanity, knowing that one day we will give an account of our representation of Him to Him.
It is also said that all of us, not some of us, but all of us are either going into a crisis, in a crisis, or just coming out of a crisis. Although this might be a little bit of an exaggeration, because we have all certainly enjoyed seasons of blessings; the fact still remains that trouble will eventually come to all of us at various points in life. Knowing this, how should our attitude be towards those who are presently in one? It should be one of mercy, and not judgment, knowing that at some point in time we also will need mercy in this circle of life...in which we also are presently living.
Listen again to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:2, “Judge not others, so that you yourself are not judged as well. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and the same measuring stick you use to measure others, the same will be used against you as well.”