Top X August 13, 2025 Devotional

1 TIMOTHY 6:9 | ⁹ But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

I am fascinated that the tenth commandment includes not only a list of examples, but also a “basket” category. We are told not to covet our neighbor’s home, wife, animals, fields, and “anything else”      belonging to our neighbor. This hints at the insidious and almost infinite forms envy can take. Like the notorious weed, Japanese nut sedge, that burrows into my yard with subterranean stealth, envy is a spiritual weed, spreading into the soul. We can envy someone’s looks or brains or athletic abilities or artistic or musical skills or sense or humor or social ease.

Have you envied someone’s gifts or personality or appearance?

Gracious God,

Sometimes we cannot see our own lives and bodies and talents as Your gifts to us and to the world. Help us see ourselves as unique people with unique roles.

Amen.