The Dangers of Envy – 3 Truths

Picture this, a woman about thirty or forty-something scrolls through common social media sites. Once again, up pops that one woman who always looks perfect. Hair always fixed, flawless makeup, and in the latest fashion. Nails sparkle with the latest Spring color. Her smiling children are perfectly groomed and not one speck of dirt shows on their shiny-clean faces. All this against a backdrop of a dream home with the kitchen she’d always wanted.

With a big sigh, the woman with the phone looks down at her five-dollar bargain-store plaid pajama pants and her old and worn-out gray tee shirt with holes in it. As she tugs it over her ever-widening hips, she notices her nails haven’t been done since senior prom a decade or more ago. Forget her hair. When had she even had time to wash it last? As she heads to stop yet another fight between her always-dirty-faced children, playing in a yard barren of even one blade of grass, she wonders where she got so off-track with her life decisions. Why did she marry that man when she could have had someone like her friend’s husband who could have provided her and her children with so much more?

DEFINITION

Folks, this is called envy. Or jealousy if you want to get into the nitty-gritty. The old green-eyed-monster. The 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary of the English Language defines envy thusly—Pain, uneasiness, mortification, or discontent excited by the sight of another’s superiority or success, accompanied with some degree of hatred or malignity, and often or usually with a desire or an effort to depreciate the person, and with pleasure in seeing him depressed.

Envy was the subject of the sermon by Dr. Justin Alexander this past Sunday at FBC Hendersonville, North Carolina. Justin presented us with three truths, beginning with his version of the definition, not far from the one I used here. You can see the dangers of landing on this slippery slope.

The Dangers of Envy - 3 Truths @DDuPreeWilliams #faith #Envy #YouCanDefeatEnvy Share on X

DESTRUCTION

The second truth dealt with the destructive nature of envy. We’re still in 1 Samuel 18-20. Here we see Saul so overcome with envy over David’s successes that he chases after him for years, intent on killing him. Remember, this is the same David whom Saul brought in to play his harp and sing Psalms to him in Saul’s distress. The one person who could bring some sort of peace to Saul after he was afflicted with an evil spirit.

Saul made devious plans in his attempts to thwart David’s success. He offered his daughter Michal to David if he would go and fight the Philistine’s and bring back the weirdest bride price ever. Saul was so overcome with envy, when he realized that his own son, Jonathan, sided with David at every turn, he threw a spear at Jonathan. Now, that is some outrageous level of hate. But see what the above definition said.

Can you see that the picture of the perfect woman in the opening paragraph isn’t real? There is not one person on the face of this earth who ever had a life like that. It’s all for show. Clean the house, clean up the kids, dare them to get dirty before you take that photo. Yell threats at them if that’s what it takes. Shower, dress, careful not to mess up those nails and that new hairdo for which you paid a small fortune yesterday, just so you could paint this picture of your perfect family today. All the while knowing every bit of it is a lie . . . but it surely does look good on a screen!

I’m going to relate a personal story here. I have a cousin (we share GGG grandparents) who was a famous actress in the 80s and 90s. You’d recognize her name and at least one character she portrayed if I put it here. I’ve never met her in person, but I have met other members of that side of my Daddy’s family. When they told me the actress was my cousin, my first comment was, “Oh, my goodness. She’s so talented and beautiful.” They were aghast that I said this. They went further to explain that she isn’t what she seems, and is anything but beautiful. It is all Hollywood smoke and mirrors.

This is my way of saying, don’t believe everything you see on the screen, phone, television or even the big screen of Hollywood. Sometimes, it’s all smoke and mirrors.

DEFEAT

Justin reminded us that as Christians, we have within us the power to defeat envy. Justin told us that step one to defeat envy is to remember who you are. Go read Ephesians chapter 1 to see all the things Paul says we are once we give our lives to Christ. Justin presented us with this quote for which I haven’t found a source as it is apparently attributed to many people. It could be one that just became popular because of its repetition. Envy grows in the soil of forgotten identity. As my opening illustration shows, how quickly we get caught up in the schemes of the evil one when we forget who and Whose we are.

LEARN TO BE CONTENT

Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV) Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

When we see the lives those around us may have, it’s easy to fall into the trap of discontent. But when we stop and remember that we are children of the King who have the promise of spending eternity in His presence, we will realize that we have, as my precious Daddy always said, I have all I need. Daddy knew he had Jesus and that is truly all he ever needed. He was content.

How do we get to this point as humans who fail daily to live up to what we were created to be?

SURRENDER ALL TO GOD

We were reminded, when we abdicate all we have and all we are to God, just as Jonathan did when he laid everything he had before the feet of David, including his robe, his armor, and his sword, we will be able to live a life in freedom from earthly values and focus on God’s Kingdom.

Do you know how to become a part of this eternal Kingdom? Begin by reading the Gospel of John. There you will meet Jesus, the Son of God, and see the sacrifice He made for you. You will see Him in His resurrection power and just how much He loves you, just as you are. Then, go read the book of Romans. If none of this makes sense, don’t worry. Just reach out to Jesus and ask Him to make it plain to you as you read. Ask for wisdom and discernment. Prayer is nothing more than a conversation with Jesus. It doesn’t have to sound eloquent or scholarly.  Hey, do my words ever sound that way? Certainly not, as Paul was fond of saying. It just needs to come from your heart. I’m praying for you.

Blessings, y’all!

Beautiful!!