How does Obadiah 1:13 encourage us to respond to others' suffering with compassion? Setting the Scene Obadiah speaks to Edom, condemning the nation’s cold-hearted response when Judah was invaded. Verse 13 zeroes in on three wrong attitudes—to enter, to gloat, and to loot—at the very moment Judah lay broken. The verse not only rebukes Edom; it teaches us how God expects His people to react when others are hurting. Seeing the Warning in Obadiah 1:13 “You should not enter the gate of My people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor loot their wealth in the day of their disaster.” (Obadiah 1:13) • “Enter the gate” – Don’t invade someone’s vulnerable space merely out of curiosity or advantage. • “Gloat over their calamity” – Reject any sense of superiority or satisfaction when another falls. • “Loot their wealth” – Refuse to exploit a crisis for personal gain. Each prohibition is a mirror image of what compassion ought to be: protection, empathy, generosity. What Compassion Looks Like • Protect rather than intrude. • Weep rather than gloat. (Romans 12:15) • Give rather than take. (Luke 10:33-35) Practical Takeaways 1. Guard your heart when news of tragedy breaks. Ask, “Am I merely a spectator, or will I shield and support?” 2. Watch your words. Sarcasm, blame-shifting, or “they had it coming” talk violates the spirit of this verse. (Proverbs 17:5) 3. Step in with tangible help—meals, funds, presence. Where Edom looted, we supply. (Galatians 6:2) 4. Pray for genuine empathy. If “one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) Related Scriptures that Echo the Call to Compassion • Job 31:29 – “Have I rejoiced at my enemy’s destruction? ...” • Proverbs 24:17-18 – “Do not gloat when your enemy falls.” • James 2:15-16 – Compassion must move beyond words to action. Final Thoughts Obadiah 1:13 reminds us that indifference, mockery, and exploitation offend God. Compassion counters each of these with protective involvement, heartfelt empathy, and sacrificial generosity. When others suffer, we have the privilege—and the mandate—to mirror the mercy we have received in Christ. |
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