I have a brother who is five years older than me and we used to physically fight. We also played together quite often – with Matchbox cars, army men, and other things. But we fought too. Of course, he always won because he was bigger than I am. I also have a sister one year older and a brother seven years younger. Sibling rivalry is as old as Cain and Abel.
Envy is incredibly destructive.
In the NASV, the word “envy” is used 14 times; 4 in the OT, 10 in the NT: Matthew 27:18; Mark 7:22; 15:10; Rom. 1:29; Gal. 5:21, 26; Phil. 1:15; 1 Tim. 6:4; Titus 3:3; 1 Peter 2:1. The related word “jealous” is used another 58 times; 41 in the OT, 17 in the NT.
So, we have to get rid of envy in our hearts. But, when you get rid of one attitude, you have to replace it with another, a positive attitude. In this case, thanksgiving.
We all have problems. We all have a list of things that we want. Some of us want more time in our day. Some of us want more money in our pocket. Some of us want more love from our spouse. Some of us want more respect from our children. Some of us want a better car in our driveway.
Our problem with envy is not that we haven’t been blessed; it’s that we’re not thankful and content with what we do have. The blessings we do have – we tend to take them for granted. Instead of looking at what we have in our own hands, we see what someone else has in their hands and we want that!
Counting our blessings isn’t a one-time thing. We have to keep at it – work at it – on a daily basis.
Cain compared himself to Abel and the end result was murder. One man compares his house or boat or camper to his neighbor and the end result is envy and covetousness. A student will compare her test scores with a fellow student, perhaps even the smartest kid in the class. The parable in Matthew 20:1-16 is a rebuke to the envious heart, the heart that is not thankful to God for what one has.
I want to share with you this passage from Proverbs 30:8-9: “Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.” That ought to be the prayer of every Christian.
Let’s work on being grateful and do our best to expel envy from our hearts.
Paul Holland
