“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles” – Proverbs 24:17 (NKJV)
“But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee …” – Psalm 35:15 (NIV)
In 1986, the Boston Red Sox were in the 10th inning of the 6th game of the World Series, playing against the New York Mets and they were ready to win it all. I remember watching this game live, and as a native New Yorker, I was rooting for the Mets to win. The tension was greate when Mookie Wilson of the Mets was up to bat and with a 3-2 count, and 2 outs. Wilson hit a slow routine ground ball towards the first base line which was an easy play. It seemed like the whole thing was over, but when Boston first baseman Bill Buckner crouched to make the play, it slowly passed through his legs and rolled into shallow right field. The Mets had Ray Knight, on 2nd base who ran home to score and to win the game. The fans at Shea stadium and fans watching at home went crazy with cheers and uncontrollable laughter, celebrating the win, and this incredible failure of Bill Buckner. This single fielding error forced the Red Sox to play Game 7, where the Mets went on to win it, and to win the World Series.
Bill Buckner lived with the shame and stigma of it for a long time. He endured all the jeering and mockery of this fateful baseball error. At times, fans even issued death threats and showed public anger towards him. What a difficult thing. As a result of all of this, Bill Buckner ended up moving to Idaho, because he couldn’t stand the ridicule of the Boston fans everywhere he went. A beautiful cavaet to the story is that Mookie Wilson of the Mets, reached out to him, and they became friends for years to come. Mookie Wilson, a believer in Christ, did the kindest thing. He became a Baptist pastor in 2014.
A newly created slang word was being spoken in Boston at that time. A “Buckner” came to mean “failing at something which should be ridiculously easy.”
The term “Buckner,” or any form of joking can be a light hearted and humorous response to a gaff or mistake, especially when we use it to make fun of ourselves. But when we do this in response to the failures of others with mockery and cruelty, this can be heartless, and something in which we get a warped sense of gladness at the failures of others.
This is the thing that God warns us about.
The Danger of Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude ( Shäʹ-dɛn-froid-ɛ) is defined as a sense of joy and pleasure derived when seeing or learning about the misfortune, humiliation, failure, or trouble of another. It’s a word taken from two German words, Schaden (Harm/Damage), and Freude (Joy). Phonetically pronounced, it’s a four syllable word (and I can hear Hanna Greenberg, my German tutor from Minnesota, saying it with perfect diction! )
But what is it with this secret pleasure at the failure of others?
Why do we get happy at the failures and mistakes of people? Even more severe is the question, “Why is it that we sometimes hope for the failure of others?”
Consider these reasons why.
Justice: When someone who has acted arrogantly or when someone morally fails and experiences resulting misfortune, it can trigger a sense of satisfaction and gladness based on a false sense of perceived justice. We may have the feeling that they are “getting what they deserve!” But from the perspective of our faith in Christ, we need to realize that we don’t receive what we deserve for our sins and failures before God.
Comparison: We need to face the reality that we’re naturally inclined to compare ourselves to others. When we see others experiencing misfortune and consequences for their failures, (especially others whom we perceive as holding higher positions … those who are more successful … more wealthy … more popular …. etc., ad infinitum, than ourselves), this can give us a false sense of our own elevation of character, thinking that we are better than others. The follow through of this aspect of Schadenfreude is almost always – Gossip, gloating, and repeating the story. In our pride, we think that we would never do the thing that others have done. We need to beware of self-righteousness, thinking that we are above committing any failures and sins before God.
How do we overcome Schadenfreude?
We need to pay attention to the scriptures which teach us concerning the danger of comparing ourselves with others.
- 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise”.
- Galatians 6:4-10 “Don’t compare yourself with others. Just look at your own work to see if you have done anything to be proud of. You must each accept the responsibilities that are yours”.
- Philippians 2:3-5 “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”.
- Romans 12:3 “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you”.
While we live with aspirations for that which is greater, we should also ask the Lord for contentment. At the root, this type of comparing ourselves is covetousness. Luke 12:15 teaches us … “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”.
We also need to consider the fact that our own failures and sins have been forgiven, when we received Christ. When we’re drawn into the web of “schadenfreude,” we need to apply the “Golden Rule.” (Ref: Matthew 7:12), ie. to do to others as we would have them do to us.
We need consider how another person is being affected by their failure. Every broken life has a story about how they got there, and the compassion of Christ would be for us to seek understanding, and to minister the grace and mercy of God. These who are dealing with failure might be living in shame and torment of it all , and they’re needing others who will seek to understand and pray for them. This practice can foster godly empathy and compassion in our hearts, reducing reduce the urge to find pleasure in their misfortune.
Have you received Christ as Lord of your life? If so, you’ve been forgiven of all your sins and failures by the work of Jesus on the cross – So then let’s never gloat over the failures and sins of others. Let’s extend grace, mercy and pray for them, and make an attempt to minister to them. It is a fact … God’s favor rests on such who practice these things.
May God remind us about this!
