Proverbs 17:5-6 (ESV)
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
All humans bear the image of their Creator, and every person has great worth in the sight of God. Those who look down at the poor, treating them with disdain, are standing against the God who made them. Anyone who takes secret pleasure in the downfall of another will be punished. But obedient children and grandchildren are like a crown worn by the elderly. And children prize godly parents. God values the family unit. How often do we feel justified when we hear that misfortune has struck our enemies? We can easily overlook our own arrogance, forgetting that only God has made our circumstances differ from any other soul’s, including those with whom we are at odds. Examine your attitude toward your enemies today. If God reveals any darkness in you, ask him to cleanse you from all selfishness. Extend compassion to all people, not only the ones you enjoy.