1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. 3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Proverbs 24:1-4
Do you feel a sense of unrest in your home? Do you feel like you can never “keep up with the Joneses”, and are you discontent with the things you have? Have you allowed yourself to look around at others more than looking up to God for your happiness? I venture to say we have all been there. We sometimes set ourselves up for disappointment by trying to achieve what our friends have achieved, instead of what God has in store for us. Remember, God’s ways are perfect. His timing is best. And the things God has in store for you may not be what he has given/done for others. Let’s walk through this scripture, and do a self-checkup.
Envy – vs 1
We have to learn to take our eyes off others. Sometimes what we see, or think we see, isn’t what actually exists. Our perception of someone’s life may be completely different than what their life truly is. Most people only want others to see the “highlight reel”, or the best parts of themselves. Of course! We wouldn’t want to show others the parts of our life we are ashamed of. Proverbs tells us that envy is a greater threat to man than wrath, and anger. (Proverbs 27:4) What a powerful emotion! Don’t worry about how others live their lives. Or what a “good time” other people seem to be having. Focus on building YOUR home! Make it a place where others feel invited, but most of all, make it a place where the Spirit of God lives and breathes on a regular basis.
Guard your heart and mouth – vs 2
The things we allow into our heart eventually spill out from our mouth. If we live in a place of discontentment, we will become a Grumble-Gus Christian. (That’s a technical term for someone who complains about everything, all the time.) Nobody enjoys spending time with this type of person. Negativity is contagious. If we are grouchy, we will make others around us grouchy. If they are smart, people will distance themselves from us, thereby making us more lonely and miserable. It’s really a vicious cycle. We are the only ones who can control our own heart and mouth. The best thing for us to do is fill our heart and mind with godly things, scripture, good music, etc. Remind yourself of all you have to be thankful for, and thankfulness will overflow from your mouth, instead of complaining. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Focus on what is most important – vs 3-4
Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. If we are saved, we have access to all three through the Holy Spirit. Several times in the Bible when people are “filled with the spirit of God”, they are also noted as being filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. (ie: Exodus 31:3, Exodus 35:1) When you are saved, the Holy Spirit (who IS wisdom, understanding and knowledge) lives within you. I hear people say “I don’t understand Christianity”, or “I can’t understand the Bible”. First – are you saved? (If you need to check on this, I recommend you visit this link for more info: https://keepersofheartandhome.com/this-thing-called-salvation/ ) If you are saved, and still struggle with understanding your Bible, pray and ask God to teach you! Start simple. If you need tips for studying your Bible, here is a blog post that has some good pointers about that, as well: https://keepersofheartandhome.com/tips-for-effective-bible-study/
When we exercise these three most important attributes; wisdom, understanding and knowledge, God blesses us with precious, and pleasant riches. In his time. In the ways he sees fit. We may not have all that someone else has. Our friends may not be as great in number. But when our blessings are from above, and God sent, they are worth so much more than anything money could buy or provide here on Earth. And that, my friends, is how you end up with a home full of joy.
