I was at the musical “Avenue Q” when I first learned the word schadenfreude. There is a whole song teaching about it. It’s a funny song, but also rings true deep down in my bones, I’m ashamed to say.

Schadenfreude means taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.

Here are some of the lyrics from the song:

“…When I see how sad you are,
It sort of makes me happy…

Sorry Nicky, human nature.
Nothing I can do.
It’s schadenfreude.
Making me feel glad that I’m not you…

Straight A student getting B’s,
Exes getting STD’s,
Waking doormen from their naps,
Watching tourists reading maps,
Football players getting tackled,
CEO’s getting shackled,
Watching actors never reach
The ending of their Oscar speech…”

Schadenfreude is human nature, which means it is not God’s nature. And it is something I need the God of Love to help me overcome.

“Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Rooting for evil is the opposite of love. Hoping for bad things to happen to my enemy is not love. Being glad that a lie worked out in my favor or that I got away with cheating is not love.

The more bad, evil, false, wrong, and painful things I inject into the world, the darker and uglier the world becomes.

I don’t want that. And God knows it will not make me happy in the end.

Dear God,

Thank you for your love, and thank you for your wisdom which teaches that love makes my world better for everyone. Forgive my urges toward revenge or spite or schadenfreude. This may feel good for a moment, but I realize any pleasant feeling will sour quickly and harden my heart. Teach me to rejoice in the truth and in righteousness, goodness, and love. Always.