Are you
envious because I am generous? Mt 20:1-16:
Generosity
means that we rejoice in the success and good fortune of others. And what is
envy? “Envy,” somebody said, “is a kind of spiritual sickness that restricts
the heart so that it cannot rejoice in the good of others, much less, gives to
them. Envy is a two-person situation whereas jealousy is a three-person
situation. Envy is a reaction to lacking something. Jealousy is a reaction to
the threat of losing something (usually someone). Envy occurs when we lack a
desired attribute enjoyed by another. Jealousy occurs when something we already
possess (usually a special relationship) is threatened by a third person.
So
why the confusion? One problem is an unfortunate sematic ambiguity with the
word “jealousy” (but NOT with the word “envy”). If you ask people to describe a
situation in which they felt jealous, they are as likely to describe an
experience of envy (e.g., "I wished I had my friend's good looks") as
of jealousy (e.g., "my girlfriend danced with an attractive guy").
Naturally, this creates a sense that jealousy and envy are very similar—even
though they are actually quite different.
God is Jealous
God is also jealous but it’s not
exactly the same as human jealousy because God is jealous for the right reasons
as we read about in Deuteronomy 4:23-24 “Take care, lest you forget the
covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image,
the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the
Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” The Hebrew word for jealous
in this verse is “qanna’” which means
“jealous only for God” so God’s jealous is for our own good. He is
jealous when we make an idol that competes or takes the place of where God
should be in our lives…that is first and foremost. Money, family, work, friends,
sports, and even Whatsapp or Facebook can become an idol in our
lives. The saying that our hearts are idol factories have been attributed
to John Calvin, although I was unable to document this, it’s still true.
The human heart is bent to perpetually forge idols of numerous things and
people. God wants us to put Him first and when we do, God promises to
provide for all of our needs (Matt 6:33).
Jesus said that we should “love the Lord God with all the heart, mind, soul
and strength” (Mark 12:30).
However
if you have the predisposition of jealousy or envy, you are not alone.
The human heart is bent toward material things and lusts of the heart.
God is the only one Who can change the human heart (Prov 21:1).
The Sins of the Heart:
H – Hatred
E – Envy
A – Anger
R – Resentment
T – Timidity
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