“They got what they deserved.”

Everyone of us has probably thought that about at least one person in our lives. It usually has a negative  connotation to it – like when the bully in class finally gets his due, or the slacker co-worker gets fired.

Do we harbor joy though when “they” get what they “deserve?”

I hope not.

When we rejoice in the negative – regardless of what it is or to whom it is happening – we diminish ourselves. We become petty, shallow shadows of who God made us to be. We sow seeds of judgment in the soil of our souls.

It is hard to watch someone self-destruct. And while we may be in a position to say, “they got what they had coming” it should make us sad.

And what can we do to ensure that we are not the objects of other’s derisive judgments? We can be mindful of what we sow in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Strive to scatter seeds of kindness, forgiveness, and appreciation — and watch what you’ll reap in your relationships.