While reading God’s Word recently, I came across the following verse, “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day” (Prov.23:17). As we enter the year of our Lord 2026, this Scripture is as relevant as ever. God’s Word is truth (Ps. 119:160; cf. John 17:17). In it we learn that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8; cf. Mal. 3:6). In it we learn that God’s words will never pass away (Matt. 24:35; cf. 1 Pet. 1:25a). So, when we come across Scripture that commands us, “Let not your heart envy sinners” we know that this is an inherent danger. It is possible for us, as Christians, to envy those who walk in rebellion against our Lord and God. Why would we do such a thing? There are a number of reasons, none of them good.
There are times when we envy the things that people have. Maybe it is a car, a house, a job, a family, or even a spouse. Scripture commands us, “And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Deut. 5:21; Rom. 13:9-10). It is clear from Scripture that it is a sin to covet. It is a sin to envy. We can understand the concept fairly easily. Yet, we produce a variety of rationalizations justifying our envy and coveting. The danger is not only in the realm of material possessions. There are times when we envy the height, looks, or talents of others. We can even find other people (including some who profess to be Christians) who are willing to commiserate with us as we wallow in self-pity over the fact that someone else has exactly what we think we should have. We must get one thing straight: God is not pleased with envy and coveteousness. When we sin against the Lord in these ways, we are indicating that we are not satisfied with what God has given us. It is an admission of ingratitude.
How do we guard against such attitudes in our lives? We find in Scripture the principles of putting off and putting on (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10). As born-again believers, we are called to put off sinful attitudes and practices, such as envy and coveteousness. This sounds fairly simple: put them off. But we are not merely called to put things off. So, what do we put on in the place of envy? What biblical virtues would be the God-honoring opposite of envy? The Hebrew word translated here as “envy” by the ESV is from a word having the meaning, “to make jealous, [or] show jealousy.”[1] Rather than focusing on what someone else has that we do not, resulting in envy or jealousy, we are to give thanks for what we do have. We are to practice gratitude for what God has given us. Paul writes the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16–18). The Lord is worthy of praise for who he is and what he has done.
Sin is not usually found in isolation, meaning there are usually other sins that accompany it. Envy fuels a host of other sins, like animosity, bitterness, sinful anger, and vengeance. We must wage war on these as well. Scripture teaches us that we are to love others and seek to do good to them (Gal. 6:10). We are to exhibit kindness to others (Gal. 5:22; cf. Eph. 4:32; 1 Cor. 13:4). We are to be thankful for what God has given us. We are to be grateful for God’s blessings.
What do we put on in place of covetousness? Contentment (Phil. 4:11-12; 1 Tim. 6:6-8; Heb. 13:5). We should learn from Paul’s example as he teaches Christian contentment through his personal example, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need” (Phil. 4:11–12). This demonstrates clear trust in the character and promises of the Lord. Regardless of what we have or do not have, when we are finding our joy and satisfaction in the Lord, we will be thankful and content people. It makes me think of Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Heb. 12:1–3). Let this be the theme of our daily lives, looking to Jesus, in 2026.
[1] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1109.