The acorns with which God feeds swine!
(Thomas Watson, “The Art of Divine Contentment”) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
“I envied the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked!” Psalm 73:3
It is often that the evil enjoy all the good–and the good endure all the evil.
Be contented, for remember: Worldly goods are not the only things, nor the best things. They are mere temporal blessings. These are but the acorns with which God feeds
swine!
You who are believers have more choice fruit–the olive, the pomegranate, the fruit which grows on the true vine, Jesus Christ! Others have the fat of the earth–you have the dew of Heaven! They have muddied puddles; but you have those springs of living water which are purified with Christ’s blood, and filled with His love!
To see the wicked flourish is rather a matter of pity, than of envy!This is all the Heaven they will
have! “Woe to you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now!” Luke 6:24. Hence it was, that David made it his solemn prayer, “Deliver me from the wicked, from men of the world, who have their portion in this life!” Psalm 17:15
When the wicked have eaten of their dainty dishes–there comes in a sad reckoning, which will spoil all!
We should not envy a man who will fry and blaze in Hell–let him have enough of the fat of the earth. O remember: for every sand of mercy which runs out to the wicked, God puts a drop of wrath into His vial! “You are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.” Romans 2:5
Do you envy the wicked? Alas! Their prosperity is like Haman’s banquet, before his execution!
If a man were to be hanged–would you envy to see him walk to the gallows through pleasant fields, or to see him go up the ladder in expensive clothing?
“I will curse your blessings!” Malachi 2:2. Whatever a sinner enjoys, he has a curse with it! And shall we envy him?
Would we envy a dog, if poisoned food was given to it!
