My father gave my brother and me a desk ornament that had these words on it: It is not the mountain ahead that wears you out but the grain of sand in your shoe. Envy can certainly do that to anyone.
I was on a radio show today to discuss what I have learned about this vice or sin as the Bible calls it. The recording was bad due to a faulty headset with microphone that I was using (my fault). So I decided to write as much as I could remember about the discussion.
Envy is such a common vice or sin. I would be willing to guarantee that every one of us has had some problem with what Shakespeare, in Othello, referred to as “the green-eyed monster.”
A focused study of this topic came about after a call from a pastor who was having a very successful ministry but experiencing an onslaught of attacks about lust, money and power. He indicated he had been able to prevail by God’s grace. However, when he received a text message from a friend in another state congratulating him on his brother being elected to the highest state leadership in their denomination, he said: “Stan, the envy jaundiced my soul. His good fortune became my misfortune, his profit from excellence in ministerial leadership became the cause of feelings of loss, his blessing became my bane, his promotion stimulated feelings of my demotion, his success gave me feelings of failure. I so envied him!”
When I called my friend back I reminded him that we all are challenged at times with this subtle sin or vice if you choose to see it as such. It is so rampant in our society and has been a stronghold within the Christian community. Never have I heard anyone confess the sin of envy or request for prayer from the church body because of it. Of course, I have not been in your church. Kudos if you have heard this. There are many case studies in the Scriptures that deal with envy. Here are a few:
Genesis 4 – Cain kills Abel
Genesis 26 – Philistines stopped the wells of Isaac
Genesis 30 – Rachel envied Leah
Genesis 37 – Joseph is sold into slavery by brothers
1 Samuel 18- King Saul envied young David’s popularity
Mark 15 – Religious leadership turned Jesus over to civil authorities
The struggle with envy continues today: Comparing homes, automobiles, workplace status, travel abilities, body size, and “their breaks in life…” You can certainly add your experience and observation to this short list.
Envy creates emotional and spiritual stress. Lloyd John Ogilvie called it “combative competition.” It is rooted in a lack of self-esteem and comparisonitis… a desire for what others have or achieve.
Some say that envy sparks their competitive spirit. Proverbs 14:30 declares that it is “the rottenness of the bones” or like a cancer. 1 Peter 2:1 admonishes us to “put away all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, and envy and all slander.” Check out Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 1:28-32 to see how God sees envy… a destructive sin. It:
:: ruins reputations
:: splits churches
:: causes murder (physical or verbal)
:: shrinks our circle of friends and influence
:: ruins businesses and ministries
:: dwarfs our Christian maturity
Clearly, envy is not some petty nuisance or minor life weakness! It is possessive, stifling, creates bondage, destroys happiness, breeds tension, leads to other sin, and can be rebellion against God’s leadership in our lives.
3 Critical Dangers which Result when Envy is left unchecked in our lives:
- It will distract us from our life’s purpose
- It will cause conflict in our relationships
- It will make us miserable and resentful
We can successfully rid our hearts of this “green-eyed monster”:
- Be willing to admit your envy… This can be challenging to do because it reveals the pettiness of our heart and mind.
- Do not minimize the problem of envy… It attacks everyone and is kind to no-one. Read James 3:16.
- Stop comparing yourself to other people… This breeds negative feelings and discouragement.
- Recognize how unique you are!… We are customized and tailor-made, an exclusive edition by God’s creative design. Read Psalm 139:13, 15.
- Rejoice in what you have… The focus is to learn contentment and how to experience it.
- Respond to people around you in love… “Love is the glue that cements friendship but envy is the slime that keeps it from sticking.” Read 1 Cor. 13:14.
- Refocus on living a life pleasing to God… Read Col. 3:2.
- Remember to make gratitude a daily habit.
We can deal successfully with envy. We will need God’s grace and Truth. But only if we will.
Dr. Stan Parker: stanp@abbgroup-nwa.com
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