Rotten Bones

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.


Proverbs 14:30 NIV



Special attention is needed to Find life for the body...


What is envy? As I was reading Proverbs, I came to this one and realized I think I know what envy is but I wanted to look it up and see if I was correct.

"painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage"


Envy in the popular and conventional language of today is not what it really means as I look deep in the definitions. Envy today is something like "I envy the car you have" This is not the meaning depicted in the Proverbs.

The envy is hate, pain and resentment. Most importantly, it is not over a thing but is directly contrasted to peace of the heart. A peace that gives "life to the body"

It is about relationships.

But, envy is diametrically opposed to the peace of heart.

Envy rots the bones. Not a nice picture!

If I am not at peace in my heart, then the envy ( hate ) I have for others will rot my bones.

This is not the "envy of a car" but a hate of a person so much it eats away at the very person.

This is not talking about things, but about relationships and the peace relationships can offer.

The opposite is envy will rot the bones!

Lord, on this day, let me continue to be a "person in peace" with those around me and in the relationships I am in. Let me be an instrument for your love as the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove heads to fall.