Day 4: The Envious

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be
thou ENVIOUS against the workers of iniquity.” Psalm 37:1

Boy, are we going to have fun today! Are you ready? Are you jumping up and down with glee? Well, maybe not. Be that as it may, let us begin by looking at the definition of envy. Envy means a feeling of discontent or resentment towards someone else’s possessions, qualities or even their apparent fortune.

Envy is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, envy is a person, a place, or a thing. Envy is quite literally a real thing. It is the real deal, my friend! It is not something that we can just sweep under the rug for our convenience or for “out of sight, out of mind.” No. It is real. Not only is it real, but it is alive and very active in your life and my life today. How do I know? Because, remember I said that it is also a verb … an action verb no less … one that is acting and active (alive and well).

Now, there are a lot of things to be envious of … your friend’s new car, her bi-weekly manicure and pedicure, her bi-monthly hair style and color or highlight, her abundant checking and savings account, her perfect, well-mannered children, and the list is so very endless, is it not?

So, if there are all of these things and more, why did David not address them in this verse? Why choose being “envious against the workers of iniquity?” Well, maybe there is more here than meets the eye.

Look at Psalm 73:3 “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Envious of the foolish [lacking good sense; unwise]? Who? Moi?! Are you speaking to me, David?  Apparently so. Why would I be envious of someone who is unwise? Because my eyes have gotten off of God and have taken on the form of flesh. Why else would we be envious of someone who is foolish?

The same thing happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden, did it not? They got their eyes off of God and before you know it, they are envious of a tree!? Where did that one sin lead them, it took them to partaking of the fruit, it took them to blaming others for their sin, it took them to following the devil, it took them away from their fellowship with God, it took them farther into sin (to where they tried to hide it and cover it), and it took them to the place of chastisement from a righteous and holy God.

Let us not excuse ourselves too quickly here. I realize that the word envy is not a common word used today. I mean, who of us say, “I envy that person”? No one that I know. Do you know of anyone? No? I do know people who say that they are jealous of someone else though. Jealous is an adverb that describes envy … they are basically one and the same. They are a pair. They come together.

Solomon shared his wisdom on this topic … “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.” Proverbs 23:17 Let us heed this wise advice today!