Love Does Not Envy

"It does not envy…" (1 Corinthians 13:4b)

Love does not envy. That seems fairly easy to comprehend. To envy means to want what someone else has. We all know that envy is un-Christ-like. Yet envy happens even within the church, amongst Christians who would never think to be envious of worldly material possessions, but are envious instead of status or position or talent belonging to others in the church.

One person might be envious of another person's closeness to a pastor, or to a leader of some sort; making life rather more difficult than it already is for that pastor or leader.

Another person might be envious of someone's gift of teaching, for example, or of seeing the gift of evangelism displayed boldly in one person when they themselves feel too inferior to evangelize. (Feeling inferior is a sin by the way; God created each of us unique, we are not to be ashamed of who we are, especially in Christ.)

One person might envy another's ability as a prayer warrior, which can lead them to pray very lengthy but powerless prayers as they are prayed only for the purpose of showing themselves as mighty in prayer as another. Yet everyone who hears the prayers of a prayer warrior versus an insincere imitation can tell the difference.

But the envy that Christians are warned about most is envy of the world and its sinful inhabitants. Christians are envious at times of unbelievers simply because the lives of unbelievers seem so carefree and easy…while the road we Christians walk seems hard to bear at times. We are deceived, of course, in this; because while the lost might enjoy their sin for a short time, there is a never-ending eternity of suffering that awaits them…none of today's pleasures can compare to an eternity of suffering. Sometimes we Christians forget that in the moment.

I cannot say that I have never felt envy. And I believe there are many just like me. But what I can say, for me and for many others, is that we strive NOT to be that way. And many times even when tempted, we CAN overcome in this area even if there are other areas in our life in which are much more difficult to overcome. We are all made of the same flesh, that flesh that needs to be battled so often!

So, to encourage us the Word gives us examples of what will happen to those who are envious, and encourages us in the reward of NOT being that way. I think I will let the Word take it from here!

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:1-6)

"A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones." (Proverbs 14:30)

"Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day.." (Proverbs 23:17)

"Lord, when your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed for their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them." (Isaiah 26:11)

Did you know that it was envy that nailed Christ to the cross? Pontius Pilate knew:

"Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, 'Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?' For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy." (Matthew 27:17-18)

"But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul." (Acts 13:45)

Now look at the company that "envy" keeps:

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:28-32)

Paul, however, warns us against envy and encourages us to make no place for it in our lives as time is short:

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:12-14)

It is expedient for this study to read again that passage in Romans 1:28-32, being careful to note two other unloving traits that we will discuss in the next posting: proud and boasters – companions of envy.