Another example of how to keep the commandments! If the man speaking with Jesus was entitled to half of the inheritance, then he would have received it.
Quite often in Jesus' time, the eldest son received the inheritance and not any other children. Even today, not all the children receive equal amounts from an inheritance.
It would appear that the man was envious of his brother. While we don't know the circumstances of this encounter, we can think of the parable of the prodigal son who had already spent his inheritance and so was not entitled to any more.
Envy is a terrible burden. I call it a burden, because there will always be someone who is wealthier, more popular, better looking, or who has more of whatever it is that we desire.
If we are envious of others, we will never be happy, and God wants us to be happy.
If you woke up in the middle of the night to a fire in your home, what would you try to save? Would it be your television or your dog? Your children or a piece of furniture? What do you value?
Most of us value people more than things and our pets more than things. In fact, many who have neither pets nor children say that the items lost that bother them the most are family pictures or albums as they contain the memories of special moments in their lives.
Things don't bring us happiness and if we have much, it can bring fear of losing it. No, what brings us joy is loving and being loved.
May we always appreciate what we have and not be envious of what someone else has
