Proverbs 23:17-18
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
The writer of Proverbs tells us here that we shouldn’t envy sinners. The tenth commandment goes further and tells us that we shouldn’t covet our neighbour’s house, wife, servant, ox, donkey or anything else that they own (Exodus 20:17). All envy or covetousness is wrong.
Envy is a potential problem for all of us because it has the ability to creep up on us subtly. It doesn’t announce itself with a fanfare but slowly worms its way into our thinking. We see our neighbour’s beautiful house, lovely family and fabulous garden and start to wish that all those things were ours. Very quickly our envy can be destructive.
The writer of the Proverbs has the answer. He tells us to look up and to look forward. Firstly, [itals]look up[end itals] to God. Remember that everything we own is a gift. We have no right to expect anything from Him, so we should spend our time fearing Him and putting Him at the centre of our lives. And secondly, we should [itals]look forward[end itals], knowing that there is a rich reward for anyone who trusts God.
Envy only ever has the ability to rob us of life, so it is important to have a strategy to confront it. So remember, when you are tempted to be envious, and we all will be, [itals]look up[end itals] and [itals]look forward[end itals].
Question
When were you last envious and why? How did you respond?
Prayer
Lord God, thank You that You are always seeking to protect me from those thoughts which could spoil my life. Amen

Released on 1 Nov 2026