Evil Envy

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 8:19-20, Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

There is nothing that will cause greater strife amongst God’s people than envy and jealousy. When we live a life of covetousness, and a lack of contentment, we make it easy for the devils to cause strife, quarrels, and divisions. Israel chose something that God did not want for them, simply because they put their eyes on what the other nations were doing. Their focus on what other nations had drew them in so that they too desired to be like them and have what they had. James 3:14-16 says, “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” To envy what others have, and be jealous over what God is doing, or allowing in the lives of others, is demonic and will only cause gossip and division. It will drive us to begin competing with others, or as the old saying goes, we will begin trying to “keep up with the Joneses”. Proverbs 14:30 warns, “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.” When we allow envy and jealousy to drive us, it leads us down the path to misery, bitterness, and depression, because God is not allowing us to have what we want. We do not think of envy or jealousy as being a dangerous sin to indulge in, but Proverbs 27:4 puts it in perspective for us, “Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?” We are often quick to go after, and discipline, those within the local church who violate God’s Word by living immoral lives, or getting involved in sins of immorality, but give a pass to those who gossip, are envious and jealous of others, even though God hates the division that results from these behaviors. Proverbs 6:16-19 clearly tells us, “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” The greatest division that comes from envy and jealousy is division between us and God. When we begin to envy what others have, and become jealous of their status, we become friends with the world, chasing material things and seeking to be “important” in the world. Those ambitions sometimes spill over into the local church where men and women seek positions within the church that elevate them and feed their fleshly egos, taking on roles that God did not call them too, simply because it puts them in the limelight, and in a position to make decisions that are not theirs to make. Envy and jealousy feed our pride. James 4:1-6 says, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” Like Israel, when we choose to focus on what others have and what we do not have, we become ungrateful for the blessing that God has already bestowed upon us. We lose sight of His goodness to us, and the fact that He is already being better to us than we deserve, by allowing us to have what we already have. Where we are right now, and whatever we have, is exactly what He desires for us, for the time being. If He desires more for us, He will bless us with it, as we focus on living for Him and serving Him. We must not let envy and jealousy blind us to the fact that He is already being good to us in allowing us to have what we have, and denying us what He knows will eventually be a curse in our lives, that will also enslaves us and draws us away from Him.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).