But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress.
Obadiah 1:12

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament (fifth shortest in the Bible). It is only one chapter of twenty-one verses; 670 words total. There is disagreement about the events that prompted this prophecy, and therefore about the date when it was written. That notwithstanding, it contains a sober reminder for all people of all time.

The Edomites—the people to which it is addressed, had cheered Israel’s invaders and gloated in Israel’s defeat. God promised to punish them for that. What’s the message for us?

I have been wronged by people who later experienced trials in their lives. When that has happened I have had a tendency to feel a smugly vindicated. That is sin. In some cases, by the grace of God, I have felt genuinely sorry for the individual. Yet for others, the temptation to gloat surfaced. Even though I haven’t run around telling others how the guilty are receiving justice, the thought has rolled around in my head. That is sin.

If you have never done this, pray for me. But if like me and the Edomites, you have experienced this kind of tugging in your heart, let’s agree together that we will confess our heart-sin as soon as we are aware of it, repent, and pray for God’s blessing on those who are suffering—even if we have suffered at their hands.