May 6
CURE FOR ENVY
"Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the
Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine
expectation shall not be cut off" Prov. 23:17 , 18
When we see the wicked prosper we are apt to envy them. When we
hear the noise of their mirth, and our own spirit is heavy, we half
think that they have the best of it. This is foolish and sinful. If we
knew them better, and specially if we remembered their end, we should
pity them.
The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the
divine presence, worshiping God and communing with Him all the day
long, however long the day may seem. True religion lifts the soul into
a higher region, where the judgment becomes more clear, and the
desires are more elevated. The more of Heaven there is in our lives,
the less of earth we shall covet. The fear of God casts out envy of
men.
The death-blow of envy is a calm consideration of the future. The
wealth and glory of the ungodly are a vain show. This pompous
appearance flashes out for an hour, and then is extinguished. What is
the prosperous sinner the better for his prosperity when judgment
overtakes him? As for the godly man, his end is peace and blessedness,
and none can rob him of his joy; wherefore, let him forego envy, and
be filled with sweet content.