Envying Sinners
Proverbs 23:17, 18 (NLT) “Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. 8 You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.”
God is clearly telling us not to focus on material things, especially those from people who don’t follow God. People who don’t fear the Lord or follow God seek pleasure and think only of themselves. Remember, Jesus had a powerful teaching about wealth and treasure:
Matthew 6:19, 20 (NLT) “19 Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them, and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”
Please do not misunderstand: having nice things is not a sin, but it should never be the only thing we pursue. Only pursuing things to satisfy your material lust is also idolatry. You are replacing God with stuff.
Here is something everyone should pay attention to. Fearing and serving the Lord leads to rewards in Heaven. When you show kindness and help the poor, God sees it and will reward you later in Heaven. God’s rewards in Heaven are eternal. They will never rust, tarnish, or get old. Remember, eternity is a very long time!
It can be very hard not to overindulge in wants and desires. That is why you pray and talk to God about your wants and desires. An overabundance of wealth can be dangerous because it depends on your relationship with God while you have wealth. It is about the character of your heart. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven. Jesus said this because if you are extremely rich, you could develop a false sense of reality that you don’t need anything or anyone. You fully trust and rely on your money. Sadly, you are unaware that you are a sinner and you need salvation.
If you find yourself constantly wanting things, ask God to fill your spirit and satisfy your soul. When you reach the point where you want more of what God wants than what you want, you will have an overabundance of peace, joy, and happiness.
Be Blessed!
Ron
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