Tuesday: Being Jealous of the Wicked
What do Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1-2; and Proverbs 24:19-20 warn us about?
Why would someone envy the wicked? Most likely it’s not because of the actual sins that they might be committing. Rather, it’s usually because of the immediate gain (wealth, success, power) that they achieve through their wickedness — that’s what people often covet for themselves.
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
Though, of course, not every successful or rich person is wicked, some are — and they are probably the kind of people we are being warned about in these verses. We see their good
life and, from our perspective, especially if we are struggling ourselves, it’s easy to envy what they have.
This, though, is a very narrow and shortsighted view of things. After all, the temptation of sin is that its reward is immediate: we enjoy the present gratification. A perspective beyond the present can protect us from temptation; that is, we need to look beyond the immediate gains
of our sin and think through the long-term consequences.
Besides, who hasn’t seen just how destructive sin is? We never get away with it. We might be able to hide it from others so that no one, even those closest to us, has a clue about what we are doing (though sooner or later they catch on, don’t they?); or we might be able to delude ourselves into thinking that our sins are not that bad. (After all, look at how many people do worse things!) But sooner or later, one way or another, sin catches up with us.
We should hate sin because it is sin. We should hate it because of what it has done to us, to our world, and to our Lord. If we want to see the real cost of sin, look at Jesus on the cross. This is what our sin has cost. That realization alone should be enough (though so often it isn’t) to make us want to avoid sin and to keep away as much as possible from those who would lead us into it.
Have you ever struggled with envy over someone’s success? What’s the best remedy for this spiritually deadly problem? (See Eph. 5:20.)
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Prov 23:17;
17Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
As seen in "Monday's" discussion, (robbing the poor), injustice being mainly for personal gain has an aspect of "outward show" which others may envy not realising the source of the gain they see outwardly.
Instead of worrying abt or envying the wicked or rather wat they own, we are implored to "be in the fear of the Lord all the day long". Wen we "fear" (know, trust, love, respect and obey) God, we are putting all our "cares upon Him knowing He cares for us" 1 Pet 5:7.
The physical, tho real the pain/effect of lacking/injustice, will not weigh us down becos the Spiritual is satisfied. Matt 6:33
We are also admonished to hate sin for simply wat it is. We won't rob the poor, we won't be unjust. This we can only do wen we have the knowledge of God.
We need to fear God when doing sins it is very shameful that most christian fear friends
Monday says we should not rob the poor. does that mean its allowed to rob the rich? if not, is there any difference between the sin of robbing the rich and the poor? i thought sin is sin. Please help.
Dear Kefas,
Stealing in anyform is a sin and part of the Ten Commandment. God says, " how do you rob Me? By tithes and offerings". Who then would outpast God's riches.
I appreciate how simple the answer is to the lesson's final question: Gratitude.
TO steal is wrong to take from another what doesn't belong to you is a sin.Malachi3:5 the Lord is not happy with people that oppress the hireling in his wages. A live able wage. When we rob the poor the Lord is watching.
I don't hate sin because God says I must. I hate it because I see what it does and the pain it causes. Because of that I can see why God has the Ten Commandments in place. They protect us from the hurt and pain that selfishness causes.
To answer the Question for Thought... YES. I have been jealous of other's success before. A combination of 2 things helped me to get over this hump and on to my own blessings: 1) faith in God and in His love for me, and 2) understanding that I am a different person with a different plan chosen by God and my own set of blessings.
Though we've used these two words interchangeably, it's interesting to know their differences. Envy is when one wants what another person has; while jealousy is when one feels threatened of losing what one possesses.
Is jealousy better than envy? I dont wish to miskead anyone. We all know that God's character is perfect, but I just struggle with this verse and I'm just curious what this verse says. Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god for the Lord whose name is Jealous is a jealous god. Did God commit sin then?
Hi Romelane, indeed "jealousy" as used in the scriptural reference can be a little misleading because we associate jealousy with negative emotion. However, if we follow the context of the scripture, it is clear that jealousy expresses positive implications as it relates to our relationship with the Lord. Let's go to the ten commandments, exodus 20:3-5. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto me any graven image.......Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God..." "Jealous" implies that God craves our exclusive faithfulness to him; endeavor to love Him only.
Thanks, Lorraine. God loves us so much that He wants us to choose Him,to be completely His. That level of love is beyond our understanding because He gave us a choice even if our bad choice would crush His heart. Perhaps He used that word for us to understand just how intensely He wanted us to choose Him.
In Proverbs 24:1, we are warned not to be envious of evil men nor desire to with them while in Romans 3:23, we are all sinners. Does that mean we shouldn't be with everybody? Someone help plz.
Perhaps this will help:
Jesus was among sinners but didn't join them in what they thought or did. He was a light in darkness.