Jealousy's Harm To The Spirit Series

The 10 Commandments remind us about the problem of jealousy. Exodus 20:17 says, "Thou shalt not covet." Don’t covet your neighbor’s possessions or spouse. This kind of jealousy isn’t the best God wants for us.

In the love chapter, I Cor. 13, it says, "Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude." It is not God’s best for us.

That means in the church or in our jobs, when other people get certain positions, we’re not jealous. When someone gets to teach a class or sing a solo and we don’t, we’re not jealous or resentful.

It’s hard for us not to be jealous of some people. You know them. They look good. Their hair never falls out of place. They smell good. They walk good. They always seem to have the right words to say. They have a nice home and car and lots of successes. They have a nice Beaver Clever family. It seems like they’ve got it all together! I’ve gotten to know some of those people. And you know what? They have problems just like you and me. They have heartaches and struggles in their lives just like we do.

Romans 12:15 calls us rather than to be jealous of others’ success to "rejoice with those who rejoice." Celebrate with those who celebrate.

If it’s wrong to be jealousy, I think the flipside is also true. We don’t want to incite jealousy in other people. That means that we don’t brag. For those of us who are parents, it’s hard not to brag on our children, but that creates jealousy in others sometimes. It means we don’t flirt with someone else’s spouse or try to make our spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend jealous. It means we don’t always take the chosen spots. We’re willing to do things in the background sometimes. It means we don’t always tell everything we know, even if we are right. We let others figure things out sometimes. It means we’re willing to share leadership, just not do it all. We don’t participate in injustice by excluding other people. We can sound real pious and say, "Don’t be jealous," but what have we done to maybe incite jealousy. What may be our part in it?

For me, the most harmful part to the spirit of jealousy is failing to be grateful for what we do have. Be thankful for the family and friends and love that we do have in our lives,for the blessings we do have. It means to be content.

Paul talks about being content in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 11-13. "For I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Paul might be one of those people we think had it all together. After all, much of the New Testament bears his name. Yet, he talks about being shipwrecked, beaten and in this passage, being hungry. He knew hardship, and yet he can say, "I have learned to be content." May God give us a sense of gratitude and contentment for where we are right now in our lives and not be jealous of what others have.