We are called by Jesus to show love, compassion, and mercy. We are not called to judge and condemn based on someone else’s inability to be like us; for better or worse. Matthew 12:7 says, If you had known what these words mean, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. Many people in the modern day church are no different than the Pharisees; they judge others on their inability to measure up to their own standard and forget the only standard that matters is Jesus. God provided grace through His mercy to all people equally because we all need equal amounts of grace. When we begin to compare ourselves to others and make it our measurement, we fail. God is our measurement and He is the only one who can provide the means to save us from eternal condemnation.

No matter what the past situation, we must never gloat over the misfortune of anyone. Even David, who was being pursued by Saul who wanted him dead, did not gloat over Saul’s death. Proverbs 24:17-18 says, 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, 18 or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. If we gloat at another’s misfortune, we are inviting the wrath back on ourselves. Instead we should lift, even our enemies, up in prayer that God will show mercy on them. No one is perfect, including ourselves and God’s grace is bigger than any sin.