#DailyDevotion Don’t Be Envious Of The Wicked. You Know Their End.
June 21st
Read Prov 24:1–22
Pro 24:1-6 ESV Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, (2) for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. (3) By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; (4) by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (5) A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, (6) for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
David in the Psalms writes about this. He says: Psa 73:2-19 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. (3) For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (4) For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. (5) They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. (6) Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. (7) Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. (8) They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. (9) They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. (10) Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. (11) And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” (12) Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. (13) All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. (14) For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. (15) If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. (16) But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, (17) until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. (18) Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. (19) How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
Are you jealous of your neighbor getting away with their affairs? Are you envious of those who you work with who seem to be getting ahead by stabbing others in the back? Do you desire to engage in the works of the sexually immoral, the drunkards and drug users because it looks like they’re having a good time and seem to be getting away with it? Well don’t. They are standing on slippery places and they will soon fall to ruin. They will be destroyed in a moment and swept away with terrors.
The thinking that makes us envious shows we are not trusting God to take care of us. We need the support of otherwise people to strengthen and support us. And that’s why we go to Church. We gather with others like us who desire to fear, love and trust in God above all things. Through their words of wisdom and encouragement we are reminded of all that Jesus has done for us, is doing for us and is going to do for us. Through the readings of Scripture lessons, the sermon, the service, bible study we can wage war and in the abundance of their counsel we can have victory over sin, death and the power of the devil.
Lord Jesus Christ, set our hearts aright that we might not be envious of wickedness but rather surround us with good counsel that we might know and walk in your ways and gain the victory. Amen.