DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: AUGUST 8 ENVY NOT THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED (2) SCRIPTURE: PSALM 37: 12 – 14; 73: 16 – 18
Yesterday’s devotional closed with a warning to not envy the prosperities of the wicked. This means we Christians are not to feel discontented in doing good by choosing to practice same things the wicked ones do to prosper. We should not feel bad why we are not that blessed as them. In today’s devotional, a brief meaning of who the Bible referred to as a wicked man will be given. Biblically, any ungodly man is a wicked person. Anybody who goes about attacking a righteous person is wicked (Psa. 37: 12 – 14). The Bible says one who borrows and refuses to pay back is wicked (Psa. 37: 21). Anyone who says in his or her heart that there is no God is termed a fool, arrogant and wicked (Psa. 10: 4; 53: 1). This is because such hardly fear God’s judgment but goes about doing what he or she feels; including heinous activities to be rich and wealthy.
There is need to know why Christians are not to envy the prosperities of the wicked people. The first reason is that the wicked ones usually get their riches and wealth from evil sources. Trying to envy them will definitely push Christians into evil practices such as ritual killings, eliminating business partners to get it all as well as involving oneself in cheating and lying to become rich and wealthy. Being envious of the rich and wealthy people lures one into excessive love of money, riches, and acquisitions of material wealth. This could be what Apostle Paul cautioned Christians against (1Timothy 6: 10). There is no need to envy the wicked because the Bible says all that the wicked has is like grass that dies shortly. This is because the prosperities of the wicked will be destroyed any time (Psa. 92: 7). There is no need envying the wicked ones prospering, for the Bible says that the arms of the wicked shall be broken (Psa. 37: 16-17). Take the arms of the wicked here to mean the money, properties, social powers etc., that make such thick and arrogant.
The beloved, we all know that not all riches and wealth is from evil sources. The righteous people are taught how to make wealth (Deut. 18: 18). God said through Prophet Haggai that silver and gold belong to Him and He gives them to His children. But around us these days, we see people killing for ritual sacrifices to become rich and wealthy. We hear stories of religious leaders, politicians, business men and women sacrificing their relations, friends and any unlucky person to become rich, wealthy and influential. We are not to measure ourselves with these types of people. It is better to check sources of any one succeeding before concluding if it is a right prosperity or not. Asaph in Psalm 73 took the case to God in a Sanctuary and discovered that the prosperity of the wicked is not to be envied: “So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction” (Psa. 73: 16 – 18 Africa Study Bible). This is exactly why Christians should not be envious of the wicked.
PRAYER:
JEHOVAH ROPHI, open my eyes to the secret of the succeeding wicked ones so; that I will not envy them in life. Make all Christians to depend on you for their provisions in Jesus name.
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