The Envious Eagle

Daily Scripture Threshing for Thursday, December 16, 2021

Today’s Text: Proverbs 27:1-6

Key Verses: Proverbs 27:4 (ESV): “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”

I must start with a true confession: I was reading through different versions because I was hoping to find one that would say “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but jealousy is worse.” I lost count of the number of versions I read but I found no version like that. But honestly, that how that scripture sounds to me. We never can imagine the corrosive effect of jealousy in our lives. Today’s meditation will equip us with a different and better understanding of what jealousy is capable of doing to us and why God’s word admonishes us to eschew it. Indeed, to live out the essential habits of a believer, and follow Jesus, we must give up jealousy in our lives.

A jealous Christian is like the foolish eagle in an old fable. The other eagle could outfly him, and he didn't like it. For God’s sake, bro, you’re not in a flying competition! The race is not to the swift. It is the with whom we have to do. But no, the envious eager would not be restrained. He found a hunter, and said to him: "I wish you would bring down that eagle." The hunter replied that he would if he only had some feathers to put into his arrow. So the jealous eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot, but didn't quite reach his rival eagle who was flying so high. The envious eagle pulled out more feathers, and kept pulling them out until he lost so many that he couldn't fly, and then the hunter turned around and killed him. My friend, if you are jealous, the only man you can hurt is yourself. It even disqualifies you. Or does James not say, “if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth”? And in the submission of the son of Lamuel: envy makes the bones rot.

Quote for the Day: “It is bad temper to be irritated at the progress or happiness of others. It is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is condemnable.” (Simon Olatunji)

Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank You for revealing how the spirit of jealousy consumes the heart like fire. Lord, I cast out that cruelty and overwhelming fury immediately and completely — in Jesus name. Amen.

With all my love and prayers,

Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D

The Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

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