Proverbs 23
Reflect
Verses 17-18 say, “Don’t envy sinners, but always (all day) continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.” (NLT)
We can sometimes become envious of sinners when we see that things always seemingly go their way, that they enjoy comfortable lifestyles, and that they appear to escape God’s judgment. This proverb commands us to not allow envy into our hearts but to be zealous for the fear of the Lord. Envy of others is eliminated when we believe that God is the greatest treasure.
The phrase “fear of the Lord” means to have reverence and awe for God, and we are commanded to zealously practice this attitude all day long, keeping our eyes on Jesus. The result of the fear of the Lord is wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), and in this wisdom, we will know how to serve and honour God in our lives.
Apply
Lean into the promises of God and ask Him to give you a hope that is unshakable. Remember the promised end of those who do not know Christ and pray for them and strive to share the good news of Christ with them. May we be a people whose hearts are free from envying that which is fleeting.
Karen Alksne
Pray
- Pray for our Senior Lead Team Pastor, Lyle Buyer, his ministry, and family.
- Pray for our Church Board members: Beth Cheung, Dallas Ansell, Hal Reirson, JD Kliewer, Mary Jetha, Mike Ross, Randy Voss, Seth Jansen, Trevor Toews, Uwem Okome.
- Pray for our office staff: Vicky Bailey, Naomi Voss; bookkeeper Liudmyla Lushchyk.
- Pray for our Hospitality Coordinator, Irene Dickau.