Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
My husband retired from Tri-Met after 35 years as a road supervisor. I retired from Citicorp after 32 years as an executive assistant to the regional manager. It took us years of work, getting good reviews, promotions and being good employees to earn enough to retire comfortably. We have friends who are millionaires. We are proud of them and all their hard work. In most cases they started from scratch and sold products the people wanted. They took all the RISK and failed and started again. They employed hundreds of people over the years.
Socialism has its roots in ENVY. Wanting what other people have. Being willing to hand over your freedoms to government to "distribute" other people's money to you. Then once the transition away from individual freedom is well under way, in steps communism. The deed is done. We are complete captives of the state. And it will eventually collapse into poverty and devastation for everyone.
Envy is a powerful emotion. People that are envious like to call it by other names like frustration, unfairness, or simply wanting what someone else has. But the Bible calls it by its name and offers a warning.
Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” That is a striking description.
We cannot always control what others have, and we should not want to. But we can control whether envy takes root in our hearts.
As James 3:16 reminds us, “Where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Beware the siren’s call promising that you can have what you want simply by taking it from someone else. It is a seductive lie, and anything built upon it rests on a foundation of sand.
Anna Miller
Camas
