Envy lurks at my
door. Just when I think I’ve moved past
its grip, I visit a friend’s palatial home, admire shoes beyond my budget or
gaze longingly at a piece of jewelry completely out of my price range. Young
and old experience the reach of jealousy’s jaws even though the price and type
of toys we long for changes. Why can’t we be satisfied with God’s gifts? What
causes us to want increasingly more including those things others’ own?
This problem with
envy is as old as time itself. Characters
in Scripture, Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, and David
and Saul struggled with envy. King Solomon accurately stated there is nothing
new under the sun. Cain’s envy caused
him to kill his brother because of a sacrifice; Esau’s jealousy over Jacob
stealing his birthright caused him to also consider murder. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery
because of a colorful coat and his father’s favoritism. Saul sought to kill David after hearing the
people shout, “Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands.” He eyed him with envy from that day
forward.
While I haven’t
descended so far as to attempt murder, I have regarded others’ luxuries with
eyes of jealousy. My focus isn’t always material possessions either. While not immune to envying items such as
homes, boats, cars and clothes, I more frequently wistfully regard spiritual
things like other women’s giftedness, areas of service or places of
ministry. Gee Lord, I wish I could sing like her.
Why didn’t I get asked to teach? Why
can’t I lead that group? This truth
hits so many of us who serve in the church.
We desire other’s gifts and areas of ministry in which God has blessed
them.
As I confess my
envy of other’s accomplishments, I take the sting out of its affect on my
life. If Saul would’ve repented of his
envy over David’s prowess in battle, think of what accomplishments Saul and
David could’ve achieved together. How much
greater could the Kingdom of Israel have been if Saul had focused on making God’s
name more famous than his own? If Saul had encouraged and promoted David in his
battles on behalf of Israel, might he have benefited as well? The fear that
plagued Saul pesters me as well. God,
will there be fewer gifts for me since you dumped all these blessings on them? Why do we think God’s resources have
limits? Scripture says our God owns the
cattle on a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10)
Satan uses my envy
to distract me from the life God has called me to live. If I’m consumed with comparing my gifts with
others, wondering why they seem more blessed than me, complaining to my Creator
about the unfairness of his gift-giving, I am opting out of the place where God
desires me to minister. No one else can
fulfill the calling on my life but me.
If I want to be someone else, who will be me? I must quit comparing my life and my gifts
with my friends’ lives and gifts and live for One who made me and gave me a
specific purpose to carry out. I should encourage
others in their gifts so they can also fulfill God’s purpose in their lives.
Perhaps as I am
faithful to exercise the gifts with which God has blessed me, working
diligently in the place God has called me, He can entrust me with more. When I am
careless and bury my talent like the man in Matthew 25, even what I have been
given will be removed.
Father,
May I be grateful for the gifts with which
you have blessed me. Help me to keep from the sin of either spurning or burying
what you have so graciously given. May I realize that if I do not use my gifts,
the work to which you have called me will not be done. Keep me from looking to
my left or right, the sin of comparison. I desire to focus my eyes on You, the abundant
Giver of all good and perfect gifts.
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