It's Easy to Envy

First, a clarification.

Just because you or someone else can afford to drive a Lamborghini or otherwise live well beyond my means doesn't make you or them a sinner any more than I am. Wealth isn't a sin.

Just wanted to be clear.

That being said . . . 

 It's hard not to envy, isn't it? Especially those who, as I speak like a fool, don't seem to deserve what they have. You know what I mean. Those people out there who, from the outside, seem to have everything but you know on the inside they're as dead as dirt. Why do they have the blessings and I have the bills?

I know, I know . . . They have bills, too. Bills that would scare me. And I also know God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (that comes from Matthew 5:45). I know envy is a sin. A big one. Made God's Top Ten List.


It's still hard.

It's not only their stuff.

These people--let's just call them sinners as the verse above does, but in fact mean unforgiven sinners, for we all sin--seem happy and free. They don't look dead. They don't act dead. At least not through human eyes. They seem happy, unrestrained, free.

Their freedom. That's what I probably envy more than anything sometimes. They seem so free. Their ignorance is temporary bliss. They don't know any better, so they don't care. They do what they want. I know there's a price to pay, but they don't. They play through life like children. I envy that sometimes.

They don't know fear.

Not real fear, at least. Fear of God. If they did, they'd change soon enough. They will, some day, one way or the other. Everyone fears God at some point. Fear Him now, repent, and be saved or fear Him later, regret, and be burned. That's how it works.

When I keep that in mind, that fear of the Lord, I don't envy them so much. Just as I don't envy the drunkard at the party who I know will dread morning. Or the unrepentant adulterer who I know will never enjoy trust, or faith, or honesty.

I don't envy the sinner when I remember heaven, or hell. I feel no envy when I consider my treasure, my reward, my party is being prepared by God.

I don't envy when I fear God.

I don't envy because I know, despite how it looks, they are slaves to their sin.

But I, I have been set free!