Like Mold in the Soul

One friend posted on Facebook of his upcoming trip. Another wrote about the way God was blessing him as he attended a renewal conference. I did not rejoice for either of them. My first response was one much less attractive; envy!  I found myself feeling critical of both, on completely baseless grounds. I could excuse my envy by pointing to recent circumstances in my own life that have sapped my strength in every way, but I will not. Envy is like a mold in the soul. It must be put to death!

Envy was the sin of Cain, who hated his brother’s righteousness. When Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice to the LORD, Cain would not be instructed. Instead, envy led him to worse sin. “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him." (Genesis 4:6-8, NLT)

Envy was the sin of Joseph’s brothers, causing them to sell him into slavery, to lie about it, and to cause their father great grief.

Envy was Saul’s sin, leading him to several attempts on David’s life. The young man had done nothing to the king, but envy blinded the man, eventually driving him to insanity!

Envy destroyed the chief among the angels, bringing Lucifer’s downfall. He was kicked out of the presence of God and led a rebellion of a third of the angels. All because he began to think he could be god!

Envy has no place in the lives of those who are Jesus’ disciples. He gives us no escape, demanding that we choose the place of a servant.  In His realm, the way up is down. Take a moment and pray your way through this thought. "Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest.”  (Luke 9:47-48, NIV)

Few things cause more problems among Christians than the ancient sin of envy. It masquerades in all kinds of costumes:  self-righteous criticism, assertions that one is protecting holiness, holier than thou attitudes, but a few. Are you jealous of your brother or sister? Are you comparing his place, his successes, his spiritual gifts to your own?  Stop!

Here’s the word from the Word. If we accept and live in this Truth, envy is defeated. "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.  … our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  … God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.  … All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it."
(1 Corinthians 12:7, 18, 21, 27, NLT)