Slippery Feet
May 1, 2020
By Pastor Dan Chun
“Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not plagued like other people.” (Psalm 73:1-5)
Be careful of comparison.
In this time of difficulty due to the coronavirus, when we are losing our job or not receiving stimulus help from the government or not having the chance to get things we need let alone hoard them, we can get envious of others who have kept their jobs and seem to have more than enough.
The Bible warns us of having “slippery feet,” where we grow jealous and at times bitter about other people or our own experience.
Some have large homes, and so the shelter-in-place is easier. We look at that and our feet can get slippery. Some donʻt have the challenges of living with family or a roommate. We look at that and our feet can get slippery. Some don’t know how hard it can be to live in a studio apartment by ourselves. We look at that and our feet can get slippery. Some make more money than we, and we can get resentful toward God or others about that, and our feet can get slippery.
But God says to keep looking at Him and not at others. Donʻt get bitter.
Psalm 73 ends with these key verses (v21-28):
“When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will receive me with honor. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
“Indeed, those who are far from You will perish; You put an end to those who are false to You. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, to tell of all Your works.”
I could end my devotional right here with talking about those who might be embittered about seemingly getting the short end of the stick right now.
But I have a word for those who are in a blessed state.
May those who are in more fortunate situations, out of grateful hearts, take this time to help those in need.
I like what Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (who with Danica Patrick bought a $28 million home in Malibu last year) said recently during an interview on The Hawk Cast:
“One thing that I havenʻt done or will not do is (be) one of those celebs whoʻs telling you how difficult it is, or stay-in-your-home stuff, from a mansion. What I do know is that my friends who are small-business owners are really hurting....Thereʻs real people hurting, so Iʻm not going to sit here in my privilege and tell people from my ivory tower to do this or that.”
Aaron Rodgers gets it.
May we all get it–––that we need to be grateful for what we have, big or small, for as the Psalmist writes, “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!” (Psalm 73:28)
Prayer: Lord, may we always have grateful hearts for what we have. May we always have servant hearts to help those less fortunate than we. In Christʻs name, Amen.
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