Day 218 – Love

Proverbs 24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; 18 lest YAHWEH see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.

• God’s names:
• YAHWEH/JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus
• Pater/Abba – Father

• God’s character:
• Grace
• Justice

Have you ever been happy when someone you didn’t like and considered your enemy looked like they would get what they deserved? You had the whole scenario played out in your mind just how they would come to total ruin, and then nothing happened?

Solomon knew that wishing evil on your enemies made you an enemy of YAHWEH. He saw how evil played its hand in his courts, in his family, and among the people. Nothing good ever came from rejoicing over the misfortunes of others. He knew that rejoicing over the misfortunes of others brought a curse on himself.

Job 31:29 “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted myself up when evil found him 30 (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for a curse on his soul);

YAHWEH will not look on you with favor if you curse your enemies and bring a curse against them. It will come back on you.

Yeshuwa told the people in the Sermon on the Mount how they were to treat their enemies.

Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You should love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Pater in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore, you should be perfect, just as your Pater in heaven is perfect.

As Christians, you are to love everyone in the same way Yeshuwa loves you. Anything less brings shame on yourself.

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Love never fails. When you treat others in the same way you want to be treated — no matter who they are, Yeshuwa will look on you with grace and favor.

Nothing good ever came from wishing evil on others or rejoicing over their troubles.

Let’s pray: Father, forgive me for being glad when I see people who come against me look like they will get what they deserve. It’s me who deserves the curse for wishing evil on them. Forgive me and turn my heart to see good in their lives. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 25 August 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux

May you see God’s blessings in your life when you treat everyone the way you want to be treated.