Twice in Proverbs 24 it tells us to not envy the wicked:
Verse 1 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company
Verse 19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked
Ok, let's be real honest with ourselves here: how many times have you looked around and been envious of what people had who you knew weren't living to please God? How often have you wondered why they were prospering or even getting what you want and they're not even in right relationship with the Lord? If I'm honest, I've had these thoughts and probably more often than I really want to admit. And Proverbs, the book all about wisdom, is telling me it's not a wise thing to do.
Verse 20 goes on to tell us: for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
When I read verse 20 I am reminded exactly why it's not wise to be envious of those who aren't serving God and the things they have in their lives. Currently their hope and everything is wrapped up in what they have here. That's not where my hope and stability come from. Why should I envy what is temporal when what God offers me is eternal? It's so easy to let comparison dig in and ruin our outlook, perspective, and even steal some of our joy. But Proverbs in all of its wisdom is reminding us that it's silly to envy! Rather let's fix our eyes on Jesus and the eternal hope that comes with Him!
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