Proverbs 24:17 (don't rejoice in other peoples suffering!)

   

   My first reaction to the picture above: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!:) And it is really funny but hits on what I feel is a serious issue for me and our society today. As people we love to see other people fail. Take the show Wipe Out for instance, every time a contest falls in the mud or whatever most of the audience laughs. Why? Because it's funny but why is it funny? I'm not sure there are any good ways to answer that question.
   Now, I'm not saying it isn't funny when a friend trips up the stairs (but is okay)or that it's wrong to laugh. It just makes me wonder why we humans think it is so funny. Personally I don't think Wipe Out or laughing WITH friends is bad at all. God created laughter and as long as we recognize the line between funny and mean, I think it God definitely wants us to laugh. Since we naturally think these things are funny, I don't think it's a bad thing. But apart from my interesting, thought provoking and somewhat pointless commentary above, this verse definitely has a more serious side. 
   I know I've definitely sinned in this way and still do though I try hard to fight against it. An example would be one time when I was secretly jealous of this one girl who was so sweet and was very respected by adults. Try as I might, I couldn't teachers and coaches and other adults to respect me in the same way. During soccer I would always want her to mess up because I wanted to be better than her. I would make excuses for myself to myself but at the end of the day it was a sin. 
   Another sports example would be when there's a really good girl on the other team and she gets hurt. There was a time I would feel happy about that because she now wouldn't be able to execute her ability towards us but thankfully God has done quite a bit of reshaping regarding that part of me.
    All this to say, don't wish bad on anybody or be happy if bad comes upon them. I guess you could have just read the verse! It sure is a good thing God didn't call me to write the Bible, if so it would be about 5 times as long but in the end say the same thing! :)