Tuesday, November 23 The heart is more treacherous than anything else.​—Jer. 17:9.

[Áine]

Tuesday, November 23

The heart is more treacherous than anything else.—Jer. 17:9.

 

Jacob loved all his sons, but he had special affection for 17-year-old Joseph. How did Joseph’s brothers react? They became envious of him, and that envy made them bitter. So they sold Joseph into slavery and lied to their father, saying that a wild animal had killed his favorite son. Envy caused them to disrupt the peace of the family and to break their father’s heart. (Gen. 37:3, 4, 27-34) Envy is listed among the death-dealing “works of the flesh” that can disqualify a person from inheriting God’s Kingdom. (Gal. 5:19-21) Envy is often the root cause of such poisonous fruits as hostility, strife, and fits of anger. The example of Joseph’s brothers shows how envy can damage relationships and disturb the peace that once existed in a family. Although we would never do what Joseph’s brothers did, we all have an imperfect and treacherous heart. Little wonder, then, that we may at times struggle with feelings of envy. w20.02 14 ¶1-3

[Vinnie]

 Why is the heart the thing that is treacherous? Because as Jeremiah goes on to say , it is “desperate”.  What we feed our heart is what it continues to want. The more you feed it wrong thoughts, the more wrong if wants until a person is consumed by that wrong. It takes great remorseful actions to reverse the the course of the wrong desires of the heart. But it is never impossible to do. Joseph's brothers regretted what they did for over 15 years. After they met up with Joseph as ruler in Egypt they were still blaming themselves for what they did to Joseph. They managed to root out envy and replaced it with humility.  

[Elnathan]

If Joseph’s brothers were content with their different positions at home, they wouldn’t have caused so much harm.
Contentment will make us to be satisfied of what we have & can achieve, instead of comparing ourselves with others. God’s Holy Spirit will help us uproot envy & replace it with contentment & humility. When we have humility, we will rejoice with those who rejoice instead of being jealous & envious when they have any reason for rejoice. 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Elnathan

[wallyahoo]

We walk in wisdom and escape disaster IF we use God’s Word to guide you, much as you would consult a road map before beginning a trip.—Psalm 119:105.