"Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long."
Proverbs 23:17
Part 3
Yesterday:
“Let not thine heart envy sinners:” (cont.)
Be careful of the company you keep. We need the fellowship of God’s children.
Today:
“But be thou in the fear of the LORD.”
These two ideas are poles apart. The fear of the LORD causes me to trust Him for my daily provisions. Whereas envy tells me I “deserve” the things that God has said “no” to. Doesn’t God know my need? Yes! “…your Father knoweth what things ye need, before ye ask him,” (Matthew 6:8b). For whatever reasons, I don’t have what the sinner has, what I “want,” the main reason is that the LORD has not provided it, and there I should be content! Please LORD, “Give us this day our daily bread,” (Matthew 6:11). His Word tells me that He provides for each day what I need for that day.
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof,” (Matthew 6:34).
If the LORD hasn’t provided it, whatever it is that I want, then my loving Father knows that I do not need it! I cannot afford to act like a spoiled child who didn’t get his candy! What kind of a testimony is that to the one who does not know God?
I need to tell my heart to stay put, to keep on fearing the LORD, and not men. I cannot let my heart compare myself with God-haters! LORD, help me keep the right relationship with You.
Barnes says it this way, “envy not sinners, but envy, emulate, the fear of the Lord.” I need to desire the right things, godly things, and relationships.
“All the day long.”
Don’t let your guard down at any time. For many, the hardest times of day with envying sinners is the quiet times, early morning or late at night when we think back on the day and we remember what we’ve seen and conversations we have had. Do not let your mind and imagination take you to places where your heart envies and leads you into sin.
Suggestion: If envy is a problem area in your life, Matthew 6 is a great chapter to do a verse by verse study of. This has been helpful to me, and it can help you too.
1. Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.