Why Do Brothers Envy? - The Danger of Envy

Written By Bishop Ronald D. Roston for 3V Magazine

There is no doubt that envy is a time-honored character-killer. The Bible inveighs against it repeatedly. –Envy helped bring about the fall; prodding Satin to traduce Eve into eating the apple because of his jealous feelings. So virulent and soul-destroying is it that, according to Ecclesiastes (4:4) “Envy and wrath shorten the life.”
“Then I observed that most people are motivated to success by their envy of their neighbors. But this too, is meaningless, like chasing the wind.”

Just like envy became the fall of man in the beginning. The danger of envy continues to be our downfall today.

So often my brothers, we can envy someone else without knowing what hell they may be living. There are many different kinds of envy; there is envy over the stuff someone else has, envy over someone’s looks, envy over someone’s spirituality etc.
Sometimes someone will envy the spiritual experience you are having. People sometimes think you have it easy because they can’t see the total picture.
When they envy you they need to understand that if they really want what you have they must change their attitude and work towards it. And stop whining. When someone else is successful, that just means we can also be successful if we really want to.
Envy is a waste of time and keeps us from focusing on our own lives. We must teach ourselves to get off the envy train and onto the gratitude train.

My brother, you may be or know of someone, resentful because another’s work appear more successful. A leader in your local church may be envious because another leader has more ability. Yes, envy can be found everywhere today and that includes in the church. What is your reaction to those around you who been appointed in a high church leadership position. ? How many times have you uttered, “ I’ve been here longer I wish I had his position.” Have you ever thought that you could preach or teach better than your brother if you could get the fame and fortune that he receives.?

Many of our young brothers want to sell drugs because they see a guy towards the top riding around in cars and fine clothes and all sorts of material possessions. They want to be a big man like he is. But little do most young people realize that the “road to the top” is often paved with sin and trouble beyond measure. We as older brothers, also have a problem with not being able to mature out of feeling that “ I want to be like that rich guy.” Envy dwells within the heart. It is a cancer that in a short time will eat away the fruit of the spirit. (Galatians 5:26) “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Proverbs 27:4)” Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy ? “We must give caution to this terrible sin of envy. It led Jesus to be crucified because of its passion; a force that comes from within and directs our thinking and actions. It affects the entire man, for whatever is of the heart comes forth in life.

Envy Causes Division: Brothers, when we envy we obsesses with others' seemingly unfair advantage and become spiteful towards them. Our hearts become malicious. We want to cut them down to size. So we slander, whisper, spread gossip, revel in their flaws and wait like a vulture for them to falter or fall. The monster of envy breathes out a poisonous vapor that can infect an entire community. It's the breakdown of countless brother-hoods.

The best example, I can give you, of Envy and the lack of Gratitude is the Biblical story of David and Saul.
Saul is burning within himself. It is tearing him up that David, and not be, is getting all the notoriety. Saul is the King! Saul wants the fame and honor of all the people. But he is not getting it. This inward hate now possess him and he will take every opportunity to remove David permanently so that he will once again be the one at the center of attention! Envy takes root right in the heart of man. Once rooted, it will now breed more and more sin ! Saul now alienates himself from God as he becomes selfish, self – willed and full of his own pride.

Envy is a sin that grows in the background of another's preeminence. The seed of envy is the fruit of another person's accomplishments. It is the dread that the accomplishments of others will reach above our own. This is exactly what Saul saw in his new rival David. It says in 1 Samuel 18:30. “.....And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name become highly esteemed !”.
David was a man that acted with prudence and with caution and as a result prospered. When David prospered, it angered Saul that much more.

There are many featured that mark the sin of envy. When one is full of envy, he becomes unreasonable. Saul could have still been a good king, a respected king, but he chose to “come apart and become unreachable in his actions. Ingratitude is also a fruit of envy. David did a great thing for Israel by choosing to fight the giant Goliath when no one else would even dare too. Through the help of God, David conquered this giant of a man, and then later fought battles that he was sent on by Saul. In addition, he soothed the distressed spirit of Saul with the music of his harp (Samuel 18:10). So where's the gratitude? When one is entrenched in envy, there is no thankfulness or appreciation.” Envy is the worst of all passions, and feedeth upon envy.

In conclusion my brothers, you need to be guarded against envy, if you want something in the material world, work hard for it. If you want God to use you in a powerful way , don't look for a free ride. Pick up the cross, and there will be plenty of Pharisees around to envy you and malign you and want to hurt you and get rid of you. But God will never leave you nor forsake you. Also, envy and dislike felt toward another because they have a position, possession or quality one desires. You just want it, but you want it without wanting to pay the cost for it. It's a free ride type of desire. Envying someone else can delay you in your own trial. Also, hating on someone can delay you in your own divine assignment and destiny.

Dear God,
Help me to keep my mind on my own business.
Let me sow love and compassion, not hatefulness and envy.
Please help me to focus on the good in life, not the negative.

“Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus”

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