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Job, Karma, and Envy


          Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. The LORD'S curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame. (Proverbs 3:31-35) 

          Yes, I know. Pie-in-the-sky, by-and-by. Karma’s going to get the bad guy eventually. In the meanwhile, he’s got money to burn, more toys than he can play with in three lifetimes, and everyone loves him, but we’re not suppose to envy him. I admit, I struggle with envy sometimes. I know some people who claim that I’m the one who should be envied, but I know people who have had two wonderful marriages. I go by houses, mobile homes, and RVs that make where I live look like a pile of junk. It was envy of a fictional character that sparked my return to the university, and the biggest thing I learned was that I didn’t want anything to do with the American business world.
         I’m not suggesting that all the people with nicer lives than I have are violent, perverse, and wicked folks, or proud mockers. Some of them are wonderful people. But I’m with Job, I look around and see violent, perverse, wicked folks and proud mockers and it doesn’t look to me like they’re getting cursed. Karma doesn’t seem to have noticed them, or maybe she took a bribe. I understand that the reckoning will come when we stand before Jesus, but somehow, rubbing my hands together in anticipation of when they “get theirs” sounds like someone a violent, perverse, and wicked person would do, or like a proud mocker. 
         When I deal with envy well, it seems to me that the most effective method is acceptance. This is where I am right now. It’s OK. It may be where I am for the rest of my life. That’s OK, too. If God wants me to be where I am, it may not be comfortable for me, but that’s OK. Those other folks have what God wants them to have right now, and that’s OK. Right now, that’s OK, and right now is the only time I have to deal with it. WDA, WDA, WDA.

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