Envy

Envy is poisonous!

1 Samuel 18:29” then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David's enemy continually.”

As I kept delving into the subject, it is pretty too deep and it is very relevant to our life. I am talking about Saul’s hatred for David, during the initial days , Saul did a pretty good job during his initial days of reigning over Israel; however, suddenly a young, robust, firebrand called David walked in and grabbed all the attention from his entire team: that included the people of Israel, his servants, his own family everybody were admiring David and the women danced and sang, 7 “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”8 This was too much to handle indeed and Saul gets jealous which is very normal, (C’mon let us be honest); however, the great error that Saul did was to nurture his jealousy and allow it to grow until it finally blossomed to becoming murderous. Caveat!

As I was reading this scripture, I remembered an incident that happened to me, I actually was offended by a phone call, when that person spoke rudely and I actually had to disconnect the call so that further damage does not take place. When this happens with someone very close to you, it hurts tremendously, though I was trying to put away the incident, it came popping back in my mind, triggering anger inside me, it was only after I went to the presence of God that I was healed. My, it’s so refreshing when the Word throws light on a particular situation! Jesus does not want any kind of unkindness, hatred or evil lingering in our life, that’s why He said, ‘whenever you come to me, keep forgiving people and let go off bitterness.’ Clean up then and there. Let us try. Don’t harbor evil, never do that. Proverbs 14:30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

I read an article about a terrorist who talked how the feeling of hatred that was inculcated into the children through their parents. They talked ill and evil of their enemies all the time which made their children hardcore terrorist in their teens itself. That’s exactly why God emphasizes that we speak the Word to the children when they stand, sit, walk and lie down. Read: Deuteronomy 6:7 "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” What does this mean? When the child comes home crying about a fight at school, don’t tell him to bash him back, but rather advise peace. Don’t keep talking negative things of the church and the pastor, the child keeps hearing what the elders speak, and eventually he grows with scant respect for the church and the servants of God, eventually their life deteriorates. Caveat!

Part 2-Envy gives birth to insecurity!

1 Samuel 18:29” then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David's enemy continually.”

Observe the words:"Saul was even more afraid of David…!"

As you allow ‘envy’ to grow and take root in you then the next thing that happens is insecurity, fear and angst, which are dangerous, are you listening?

An energetic, smart and young woman taught math for our students of Abide School, the free school that we run for the poor, she was highly educated and brilliant, after a few months, her co-sister who recently got married joined our school as well, both were talented and they enjoyed working together. However, something happened that shattered their unity, when the in-laws celebrated the co-sister’s birthday very grandly and lavishly the senior daughter-in-law got upset because they did not do that for her. She came and cried to me and from that day onwards, she stopped talked to her co-sister, they stopped coming to school together, her work deteriorated and she fell into depression with anger, self-pity and deep hatred for her co-sister. She felt insecure and afraid of her position in her family! Did you see that? I gave her a Bible, counseled her, prayed for her but nothing worked and she finally left the job. Very sad. This is what envy would do a person, caveat! The Bible says: Proverbs 27:4”Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?

When someone younger than you, less experienced and less talented is put as your supervisor, the situation is not normal, it breaks your heart and bites into your pride and dignity, this is height of humiliation; however, we got to handle such situations (which we have to face in our life at some point or the other) prayerfully. Do not allow the enemy to plant seeds of hatred, jealousy and bitterness in you, feel secure in Christ who would never fail to bless you, are you listening? Also submit to God to take you through whatever path that has been allotted for you with grace and patience so that you learn the necessary lessons during the journey of your life. The Lord should be your refuge during such times, don’t allow ill-feelings to grow inside you, arrest it immediately and pray like David: