PENnED

Read: Psalm 37:1-11

¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; ² for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Sometimes we wonder why “those who are evil” prosper instead of  those who are good. We can probably explain it in terms of latent talent and drive–those who have the talent to enrich themselves and whose whole purpose in life is to get what money can buy tend to become rich in material possessions. On the other hand, those who are good, especially Christian believers, perhaps put more value on the spiritual or other non-tangible things and that’s why they do not get rich or as materially prosperous as some bad guys.

I don’t think unbelievers and evil people should be given monopoly for making money. I think it’s okay for believers to make a lot of money. As long as money do not get our affection, as “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), there is no problem in that. So perhaps the reason why those that do evil are getting rich and we are not is perhaps because we do not work as hard.

But it seems that the issue  here is about those that make a lot of money using evil ways. Well, the advise is to not get envious of them. Why?  Because “like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” In v. 10 it reads:  “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.” This gives some the idea that unbelievers and evil ones will be annihilated, that is, they will cease to exist. When they die, that’s the end of them.

That might get us interested, but we should really be more interested in what God has in store for us: “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity” (v. 11). For us, believers in Christ, “a new heaven and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13) is our inheritance, our “land of promise.” God’s people who live “holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:11) will live in this perfect place forever!

Don’t get envious, heaven is yours!