Proverbs 24:1-2 explains a a key aspect of human behavior—envy—and offers practical wisdom identifying its dangers and contrasts it with the path of righteousness.
Because it’s not just that we envy people. sometimes we envy them for the wrong things.
Envy itself is wrong.
But layer on top of envy the fact that we are envious of evil, and we have have a serious problem.
Proverbs 24:1-2 (NKJV)
1 “Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.”
Warning Against Envy
This passage teaches a fundamental principle: the worthlessness of envying sinners and longing for their seemingly carefree and prosperous lives.
It’s a reminder to resist the temptation of abandoning our religious and moral principles merely for the allure of worldly pleasures.
We will always want to improve things and for life to be better, but when we start to believe the way to get to that better life is through sin, we are treading a Dangerous road.
Those thoughts will eventually produce action.
The envy of the sinful life leads to resentment towards a moral life and increased desire to life the life of the world.
This in turn makes it much more difficult to follow the commands of God, because now our motivations are working against us.
Reasons for Caution
Envy is not merely a harmless emotion; it carries deep risks:
- Sinners’ paths lead to destruction, not just for them, but for everyone around them.
- Their minds hold intentions that are evil and lustful, this is shown by their speech filled with evil and their plans to do wrong – as the Proverb teaches.
- Despite any sensation of success or happiness, their actions and intentions will inevitably lead to their downfall.
Wisdom in Disassociation
The practical teaching of the Proverb is to separate ourselves from the ways and speech of the wicked.
Get away from negative influence.
This theme is repeated over and over again through the biblical narrative.
We have to recognize the harmful nature of this envious behavior so we can safeguard ourselves from dishonor, harm, and a life of sin.
This disassociation is not about judgment but about protecting our moral integrity and upholding righteousness.
Righteous Anger
Rather than envy, righteous anger towards the sin of the wicked should be the attitude we employ to help resist sin.
Note that we focus our anger on the behavior – the sin itself.
The lessons from Proverbs 24:1-2 is even more profound in the digital age.
The digital age exposes us to images of success and happiness, and create envy all around.
The business model of social media is built on envy and emotionalism.
But the Proverb writer reminds us to focus on a life of righteousness, steering clear of envy-induced nonsense.
Practical Steps:
- Contemplation: Take time to introspect and identify the roots of envy or unrighteous, non-productive comparison in your mind.
- Thankfulness: Cultivate a habit of gratitude to appreciate your blessings and reduce envy.
- Anger Response: When confronted with envy, choose to respond with righteous anger towards sin or with a calm understanding rather than resentment.
- Curate Your Influences: Be mindful of the media and social circles that may fuel feelings of envy and work to surround yourself with positive influences.
