The author of Ecclesiastes once observed: "The race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise, or wealth to the brilliant, or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all" (Ecclesiastes 9:11). This observation can be discouraging. If the quickest runners don't always win the race and if the best armies don't always win the battles, then why should we even try to be the quickest or the strongest, if we have no guarantee of winning anyway? Likewise, sometimes when we observe the wicked prospering and the righteous having little and being persecuted, we can be discouraged. Why should we bother with righteousness if the result is just what we can see? In Psalm 37, David reminds us: there is more than meets the eye. The day of judgment is coming. The wicked will be "cut off" (exiled) and the righteous will "inherit the land."
Lord, when we are tempted to envy others, we pray, hold us fast. We might wonder: "What if I, like others, tried to shortchange taxes and tips and tithes, so that I could get ahead financially? Might I benefit from selfishness?" As we are tempted to think of our own gain, remind us of eternity, as David does in this psalm. Those who pursue their own gain at the expense of others will not come out ahead. Those who live lives of love, serving others at cost to themselves, will be more than compensated for every loss and every sacrifice. Lord Jesus, lead us in your way of generosity, not just in consideration of future compensation, but in genuine love for others, even as you lived a life of true generosity and love.
Some of us may be less tempted toward envy, but more toward worry. We worry: "Will God really get it right in the end? Will he really reward me enough for my sacrifices? And will he adequately punish those who have hurt others?" Father, free us from our worries. Fill our hearts with complete trust in you, because you are more than worthy of our trust. And you are worthy of more than our trust. You are worthy of all of worship. Truly, the promises you have given us for our future are good, far better than we deserve. May we no longer worry about getting enough, but delight in your salvation and abundant love. In Jesus' name, amen.
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