Proverbs 14:30
It
can be hard to be at peace in a world that runs on discontentment. Every
advertisement, every program, every speech, every movie, every product is about
envy. They want you to buy something. Even news shows are selling you
something. They hook your attention so you will endure the commercials. It is
hard to live in this society and not fall victim to its allurement.
I
have a sixteen year old car on purpose. It runs, gets good gas mileage, isn’t
too beat up, and it is paid for! We spend about $700 dollars a year on repairs.
That is only two months of a new car payment! I have a deal. I am satisfied
with my car. Or should I say, I choose to be satisfied with my car. There still
are moments when I wish I had a shiny newer small pickup truck, but then I slap
myself back to reality with one word, “Payments!” I will probably drive this
car until it can’t be repaired.
I
have too much stuff in my life. I am working to trim back, throw out, donate,
unclutter. I am getting pretty good a being at peace with what I have. I am
still having trouble getting rid of the stuff I don’t need. I am lazy!
When
I am at peace I get sleep. I can feel peace in my body, and it feels good. I
feel the tension leaving, and my body settling. My heart-pounding lessens,
which is good from my blood pressure.
When
I let envy rule, I am never at peace. I am always pushing for the toy, newer
this or that, latest gadget to make my life simpler. I am not at rest in my
inner being. I am not grateful. I am always looking at what others have and
questioning justice and fairness.
Can
you see why the writer of our proverb would say that envy rots the bones? Envy
gets to the deepest part of us. Think about what happens in the bones of our
bodies. In the bone marrow blood cells are produced. The ability of your body
to provide everything you need for life happens through the blood. Oxygen,
nutrients, disease fighting, waste elimination. All these happen because of
what takes place in the bones.
The
writer says envy rots that part of us that is vital to our survival. Now I don’t
know what the actual physical effects of envy are to the bones, but the writer’s
point is made. We can’t survive with envy in our lives. It will eat away at us.