Truly, God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had almost tripped and fallen;
Because I envied the proud and saw the prosperity of the wicked:
For they suffer no pain, and their bodies are sleek and sound. (Psalm 73:1-4)

These verses present a compact, clear-eyed portrayal of a faith-filled person who is struggling with the problem of envy.  In particular, the Psalmist has a resentful envy of those who have plenty of health and wealth and happiness even though they are not good people and do not revere God.

Envy is a temptation, even for people of faith – people who trust in God’s goodness and care.  We can forget that God’s care for us is not measured by our health or wealth or status.

Much of our consumer economy is driven by envy.  Advertisers lure us to covet the possessions and the lifestyle of the ‘sleek and sound’ actors who portray a vision of the good life.  This good life, we are assured, can be ours if only we buy what they are selling.  It’s not just advertising either.  Facebook and Instagram are often platforms for inspiring comparison and envy of neighbors near and far.  Social media often magnifies our worst tendencies, stores them in our pockets, and puts them at our fingertips.

Envy is destructive because it creates resentment of those who have what we want, and because it makes us blind to the blessings we have.  When we look at others and wish we were living their lives we are, in effect, despising our own lives.

Envy is an insult to God.  If a thankful heart is the essential attribute of someone who really trusts in God, then envy is its opposite.  Envy comes from a sense that our lives are not good enough, that we are not okay as we are – not desirable, not loveable.

At the heart of the Christian faith is the trust that we are loved, that God’s yearning desire for us broke the bounds of heaven to chase us as far as the grave.  If you trust that you are enough for God to seek and find you just as you are, you won’t waste your soul’s energy craving to be someone else.

Prayer:  How could I envy someone else’s life?  This life is the one where you have sought me and found me and claimed me as your own.  What was I thinking?  I don’t want to live someone else’s life; I want to live mine more fully!  Amen.