Food for Swine
Why do we envy the wicked?
Why do we desire what the wicked enjoy in this life?
It’s so easy to see the now and not the not yet. My friends in Christ, we have a hope and a future that those who live for this life will not enjoy.
I think of the son who demanded his inheritance and squandered it on worldly pleasure. He ended up eating swine food alone. The prodigal, as he is often called, finally remembered that he had a father that would forgive. He returned and enjoyed fellowship with his family.
Friends, this is an earthy father. How much more can your Heavenly Father give you? We only need to keep our eyes fixed on the Author of all things. Fixed on the idea of already but not yet.
Seeing the wicked prosper while we struggle is not easy. We must remember though, our vision is blurred. We cannot see all. We only see the prosperity, not the agony in the heart of sinful men. They dare not speak of that, for they must look successful, fulfilled; reality is they are chasing the wind. This life is all they’ll have. Friends let us not live as the world. Let us not live as if this life is all there is. Let us live as those who have hope! Let us live as those who, though suffering can be a peace and fulfilled in a way the lost cannot and will not ever experience.
Finally, let us share this peace and joy we have with those lost and dying. God may use us to call a soul to himself. What a glorious privilege!
Friends let us not envy the wicked, let us have compassion on the lost and let us rejoice in our future hope!
Below is today’s Grace Gem by Thomas Watson. An excellent read.
Eyes on Jesus!
The acorns with which God feeds swine!
(Thomas Watson, "The Art of Divine Contentment")
"I envied the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked!" Psalm 73:3
It is often that the evil enjoy all the good--and the good endure all the evil.
Be contented, for remember: Worldly goods are not the only things, nor the best things. They are mere temporal blessings. These are but the acorns with which God feeds swine!
You who are believers have more choice fruit--the olive, the pomegranate, the fruit which grows on the true vine, Jesus Christ! Others have the fat of the earth--you have the dew of Heaven! They have muddied puddles; but you have those springs of living water which are purified with Christ's blood, and filled with His love!
To see the wicked flourish is rather a matter of pity, than of envy! This is all the Heaven they will have! "Woe to you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now!" Luke 6:24. Hence it was, that David made it his solemn prayer, "Deliver me from the wicked, from men of the world, who have their portion in this life!" Psalm 17:15
When the wicked have eaten of their dainty dishes--there comes in a sad reckoning, which will spoil all!
We should not envy a man who will fry and blaze in Hell--let him have enough of the fat of the earth. O remember: for every sand of mercy which runs out to the wicked, God puts a drop of wrath into His vial! "You are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed." Romans 2:5
Do you envy the wicked? Alas! Their prosperity is like Haman's banquet, before his execution!
If a man were to be hanged--would you envy to see him walk to the gallows through pleasant fields, or to see him go up the ladder in expensive clothing?
"I will curse your blessings!" Malachi 2:2. Whatever a sinner enjoys, he has a curse with it! And shall we envy him?
Would we envy a dog, if poisoned food was given to it!