Thursday Devotional - Chasing after the Wind of Envy

God expects us to work and to work hard at what He has asked us to do to accomplish His purposes. He may have some of you climb the corporate ladder to be a witness for Him amongst of group of people others can’t reach. He may have some of you acquire a large home in order to house missionaries, host Bible studies, or host other gatherings where His light is spread in and through your family.

However, we need to make sure it’s according to God’s plans and purposes and not for our own reputation or for our own desire to have and be bigger and better than others.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 and 13-16 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

⁵ Fools fold their hands
    and ruin themselves.
⁶ Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil
    and chasing after the wind.

¹³ Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴ The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Solomon saw that our drive to work for more usually stems from envy and not a desire to please God and accomplish His purposes. As verse 6 says, it’s best to be content with less, than to work tirelessly for things that don’t last.

What are you and I striving to accomplish or gain (whether in our career, relationships, wealth, education or athletics)? Why? What’s the real motive? Let’s make sure it’s not out of envy, but according to God’s will and for His purposes.

Alice