Luke 15:27-30 (ESV Strong's)
27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
Envy
In Psalms 73 we read these words:
Psalms 73:1-2 (ESV Strong's)
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
It isn’t the same as the “good” son in the story of the Prodigal Son, but it is close. Both Aspah (the writer of the Psalm) and the “good” son, in the above text, were envious of someone else. One of God’s commandments has to do with the heart of coveting what others have. That was the problem of the “good” son. He saw his rebellious brother come home and receive honor and a celebration. But, he had not received any “party with my friends” treatment. As believers we can often be victim of the same type of envy. We covet our neighbors “peaceful” life. We covet the position someone else gets at work. We covet a role in church. We covet a talent or gift others have. God warns us about envy and how it can destroy your life. The “good” son suffered from envy and did not fully enjoy the blessings God gave someone else. That is the real sin behind envy. God gives gifts and blessings to others. When we covet them and desire them for ourselves we both deny God the sovereign role in their lives and we under value what God is giving us in our lives.
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