In The Word
Read: Proverbs 24
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their minds devise violence,
And their lips talk of trouble.
3 By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong,
And a man of knowledge increases power.
6 For by wise guidance you will wage war,
And in abundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is too exalted for a fool,
He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8 One who plans to do evil,
Men will call a schemer.
9 The devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you are slack in the day of distress,
Your strength is limited.
11 Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.
12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
And will He not render to man according to his work?
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
14 Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Or the Lord will see it and be displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.
19 Do not fret because of evildoers
Or be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no future for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those who are given to change,
22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
23 These also are sayings of the wise.
To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;
25 But to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He kisses the lips
Who gives a right answer.
27 Prepare your work outside
And make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.
28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
And do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense,
31 And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with nettles,
And its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw, I reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
33 “A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as a robber
And your want like an armed man.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Sometimes it’s hard to see people you know, who are not serving God, seem to have everything going for them. Nice car, nice home, boat, and vacations! You wonder, “What about me God? I’ve been serving you for years and haven’t had a vacation since I can remember!” I know it’s not easy to restrain from envy, but the Lord tells us in Proverbs 24:19 to not be envious of the wicked, “There will be no future for the evil man, the lamp will be put out.”
The writer of Psalms 73 had the same question: how do I come to grips with the prosperity of my enemies? They seem to be happy, fat, rich, and they mock you at the same time. They want for nothing; it’s easy street for them! As for you, you feel in vain that you have tried to live a life worthy of Your name. Once I thought like this, and I actually thought of giving up! Psalm 73:17 says, “Until I came into your sanctuary and perceived their end.”
We should never envy the wicked, nor should we leave them in their current condition without Christ. I remember addressing this with my children one day as they marveled at the another family and everything they had. I remember they asked, “What about us Dad?” I told them that they have no idea what that family is going through. They could be having hurts, feelings of loneliness, or rejection with a life without Christ and all that it brings. We take for granted this peace we receive in knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior. So next time that feeling of envy rises up, share Christ with them. They don’t have everything, because He is everything!