It is possible for a believer to look at sinners and secretly admire their freedom, their pleasure, their success, their confidence, or the way life seems to favour them. We cannot easily deny or ignore this tendency.
But here is what Scripture says:
“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.”
Proverbs 23:17, KJV
The envy of the ungodly is a hidden battle. The real battle is inside the heart. A person can look holy on the outside and still secretly wish he had the life of the ungodly.
He may not say it with his mouth, but his heart may be saying, “They are enjoying life. They are free. They are prospering. Why should I keep fearing God?”
But the verse gives the solution to this tendency:
“But be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.”
The fear of the LORD means reverence, submission, awareness of God, hatred of evil, and a desire to please Him. It means you live with God before your eyes. You remember that life is not judged by today only. You remember that sin has an end, pleasure has an end, but God remains forever, and His promises are yes and amen.
The phrase “all the day long” is important. It means this is not a Sunday feeling. It is not only a morning devotion. It is a continual posture of the heart.
When you see sinners prosper through ungodly means, fear the Lord.
When temptation looks attractive, fear the Lord.
When obedience feels costly, fear the Lord.
When compromise looks easier, fear the Lord.
The next verse explains why:
“For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”
Proverbs 23:18, KJV
Do not judge life by what sinners appear to enjoy now. Do not let their temporary pleasure make your obedience look foolish. Stay in the fear of God, because there is a future, there is an end, and the hope of the righteous will not be disappointed. The righteous may suffer now, but their hope in God will never be wasted. This does not mean we despise sinners. It means we must not desire the life that rejects God.
Reflection Questions
- Do I secretly admire the freedom, pleasure, or success of sinners?
- Are there moments when obedience to God feels foolish because I am comparing my life with the ungodly?
- What am I looking at more: the present pleasure of sin, or the final end of sin?
- Is the fear of the Lord shaping my thoughts only during devotion, or “all the day long”?
Prayer
Lord, search my heart and deliver me from secretly envying sinners. Forgive me for the times I have admired what displeases You. Teach me to see life the way You see it. Help me not to be deceived by temporary pleasure, outward success, or the appearance of freedom without You. Keep my heart in the fear of You all the day long. When temptation looks attractive, remind me of the end of sin. When obedience feels costly, strengthen my faith. When sinners seem to prosper, help me remember that my hope in You shall not be cut off. Lord, restore my vision. Let my heart desire You more than the passing pleasures of this world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Reading
Psalm 73
When your heart begins to envy sinners, it is usually because you are looking too much at their present and not enough at their end. The fear of the Lord restores your vision.
