The instruction we find in our verse today seems simple enough, doesn’t it? It seems simple, until we become aware of the fact that the majority of our envying is initiated by an involuntary attraction to that which belongs to someone else. Think about it, when was the last time you asked yourself – “Who or what can I be jealous of today?” or “What can I long for, that I do not currently possess?” We never plan the specific act of envying; it simply springs from a heart that always wants more. Now just to be clear, we can place ourselves in an atmosphere that is sure to produce envy in us, but usually we do not plan to inwardly burn and obsess for something that we do not currently possess. In our passage, Solomon is specifically speaking about not envying sinners. We need this instruction for at least two reasons. First of all, we need to be reminded that all pleasure is not legitimate. In other words, we need a reminder of the sinfulness of sin. It seems ridiculous that we would envy an individual whose life pattern is one that scoffs at the idea of a holy God. However, we don’t always think about it that way. We think of the individual who indulges in every luxury and pleasure available, and we can be so intoxicated by the present, that like Asaph in Psalm 73, we can forget where the road of sin actually leads. This alludes to our second point, and that is the fact that sinful pleasures always end in destruction. We will see more about this tomorrow, but for today it is sufficient to say that we must have an eternal perspective, in order to fight envy. We must look to Christ to supply the grace we need to live a life of faith. All forms of envy are ultimately express a lack of faith. We do not believe the promises of God’s complete provision when we envy that which has not yet been provided. May we look to Jesus today, to find contentment and satisfaction in Him.