Think, today, if you see any trace of envy in your heart

"Are you envious because I am generous?" Matthew 20: 15b

This sentence is taken from the parable of the landowner who hired workers at five different times of the day. The former were hired at dawn, the latter at 9am, the others at noon, 15pm and 17pm. Those hired at dawn worked about twelve hours, and those hired at 17pm only worked one hour. The "problem" was that the owner paid all the workers the same amount as if they all worked twelve hours a day.

At first, this experience would lead anyone to envy. Envy is a kind of sadness or anger at the luck of others. Perhaps we can all understand the envy of those who take a whole day. They worked all twelve hours and received their full pay. But they were envious because those who only worked an hour were treated very generously by the landowner and received a full day's salary.

Try to place yourself in this parable and reflect on how you would experience this generous action of the landowner towards others. Would you see his generosity and rejoice in those treated so well? Would you be grateful for them because they received this special gift? Or you too would find yourself envious and upset. In all honesty, most of us would struggle with envy in this situation.

But that realization is a grace. It is a grace to become aware of that ugly sin of envy. While we're not actually put in a position to act on our envy, it's a grace to see it's in there.

Think, today, if you see any trace of envy in your heart. Can you sincerely rejoice and be filled with much gratitude for the success of others? Can you be sincerely grateful to God when others are blessed with the unexpected and unwarranted generosity of others? If this is a struggle, then at least thank God you are made aware of it. Envy is a sin, and it is a sin that leaves us unsatisfied and sad. You should be grateful to see it because this is the first step to getting over it.

Lord, I sin and honestly admit that I have some envy in my heart. Thanks for helping me see this and help me surrender now. Please replace it with sincere gratitude for the abundant grace and mercy you bestow on others. Jesus I believe in you.