“Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation.” – James 1:9-10a 

Scripture reading: Proverbs 30:1-9

By nature, when we’re poor, we tend to feel jealous of the rich. Jealousy is one of the most spiritually destructive things with which we have to struggle. By nature, when we’re rich, we tend to feel proud. We worked hard; we made the smart choices, and those poor people would be rich too, if they worked as hard or were as smart as we are. Pride is also one of the most spiritually destructive things with which we have to struggle.

But the fact that those differences exist isn’t somehow wrong or sinful in itself. In His providence, God allows these kinds of differences; He even creates them. He says in Isaiah 45, “I bring prosperity and I create disaster.”

So the differences in our circumstances are not the problem. The problem is that our flesh wants to take advantage of what God is doing or not doing in our lives to stir up feelings of jealousy and discontent, or to make us feel proud, to harden our hearts to the needs and the struggles of our brothers and sisters.

If God hasn’t given you the things He’s given others, you have no reason to be jealous of anyone: you are God’s heirs, fellow heirs with Christ. And if God has given you things He hasn’t given to others, you have no reason to boast as if you earned them: they are God’s gifts to you. Rich or poor, we have every reason to be thankful and to be humble.

Suggestions for prayer

Confess to the Lord that you struggle with jealousy when others seem to have a better life than you do, and with pride when you compare yourself with those who haven’t received what you have, and ask Him to help you to be thankful and humbled because of His goodness towards you.

Rev. Dick Wynia graduated from the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in 1986, and was ordained to the ministry in 1987. He has served four congregations, in Aylmer ON, Calgary AB, Wyoming ON and in Beamsville ON. After almost 37 years in active ministry, he recently became a minister emeritus. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.