Jealousy

“I was jealous when it was sister’s birthday. And when she got that toy pig for Christmas… ‘cause I wanted it.” She dropped her fork on her empty lunch plate.

Her honest admission had come about at the end of a Fancy Nancy episode. Nancy’s friend got the part she wanted in the ballet, and Nancy struggled with jealousy.

So did my daughter.

“I understand that. It’s easy to be jealous when someone else get something we want. But it’s a good thing you recognize the feeling. If you can admit it, you can change it.” I dusted a handful of crumbs from the table. “Like when it was sister’s birthday, you could be happy for her because you know that your birthday will come around. And when it’s time to celebrate you, you’ll want her to be happy.”

We have no shortage of jealousy, do we? Born and bred with it sewn deep in our flesh.

And isn’t it strange that jealousy so often manifests itself towards good things?

Like Cain and Abel. The first case study. A brother jealous that another brother brought an offering to God.  It was a good thing.

Yet it was the very thing that fractured their relationship.

Kind of like when your co-worker got the job offer you wanted. That you both wanted. And God provided. It was a good thing. But now it’s their thing.

Or when your sister was the first to walk down the aisle. And you’ve been praying for a husband longer than she has. And God answered her prayers. It was a good day. But it was her day.

Or when your friend had a baby. And then another baby. And announced she was expecting her third. And those were all good things because children are a gift from God. But they were her children.

Oh friend, I have been there more than once.

Witnessing those around me receive generous things from the hand of God, all the while allowing jealousy to diminish the good things, the good works, He was supplying.

They only counted if they happened to me. If they were my personal gains. My own blessings. Otherwise, they hardly deserved to be acknowledged.

I know. This is tough stuff. Hard to write, and even harder to read.

Because we’ve created a society in which we cannot celebrate goodness for the concern of evoking jealously in another. And listen, I’m not talking about boasting. No, I simply mean sharing good news. Testifying of the great things God has done.

Our hearts must be able to rejoice at God’s goodness towards others, rather than despise it simply because it’s not part of our own personal story.

Jealousy is not from the Lord, dear one. After all, it divides and resents. Tactics of the enemy to which it’s tempting to give way.

But not God’s people. We’ve got a better method.

We unite. We rejoice. And we praise God for all of the good that He is bringing about in your life, in mine, and in theirs. We remember that there is more than enough to go around for everyone, so when we see it, we offer up a shout of praise.

Because an ounce of goodness to one part of the body benefits the body as a whole.

And as we build one another up God’s way, praising God for all He is doing, a beautiful thing starts to take place.

Our faith in strengthened, our spirits are lifted, and joy abounds.