“⁴Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (ESV)

And there it is, what love is and what it is not. Love is there for the good and it really does overcome the evil. Where love is the other cannot be.

I am studying the word “envy” and this morning was brought here and low and behold I have found the way that envy can be rooted out of my life, heart, and mind. I have to fill them with love and when I do so, envy cannot reside. I have to allow love to overtake me and then flow from within to the outside so that I can share with those around me. I have to be the example of love.

I know that I have chose the right mission in life as I continue to read and study God’s word: “Improve lives through growth and learning as an example of God’s love.” The last 4 words are the truth I have to remember each and every day. When I am the example of God’s love, I will have no room for envy in my life or anywhere. I will be filled with that which I will let overflow onto others and in all situations, love, and more importantly the love of God.

What are you filling up with daily? Are you allowing envy to fill you and not allowing love? What if you were to fill with the love of God and allow it to root out envy in your life?

“²⁹They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” — Romans 1:29-31 (ESV)

Even as envy is a small thing and unless acted on, there seems to be little harm in being envious of someone else, but that is a very slippery slope. As I read this morning in Romans, I notice all that tends to go with envy. I see that there is covetousness, deceit, gossips, boastful, foolish, and more. It is too easy to fall into all those other sins and unrighteous behavior when I allow the smallest of things like envy to creep into my mind and heart.

When I start with the envy of someone’s possessions I am giving way to the potential to act on that envy and work toward accumulating at all costs. I will lend myself to not only be envious of the possession, but I will then begin to covet that possession. Then I will use deceit to get it, or if not able to get the possession, I will create gossip or take to slandering the other so as to bring them down. I will engage in ruthless and heartless behavior to obtain the possession and not just for me, but at the expense of the other to somehow lift myself up above them in some way.

I have to be wary of that which is within me so that I am not letting it out. Just the smallest of evil things will bring about larger evil in the long of things. Envy is one of those smaller things than infects and creates larger evil. I have to be in the business of spreading love as opposed to looking for the chance to be placed in a position that others will revere. I have to lift up others, even when that seems to be over my own. I have to stay away from the small things of evil to aid in my staying away from them manifesting into larger evil.

What small things are you allowing in your life that may be leading to larger things? Are you allowing the smaller evil to manifest into the larger evil? What if you were to focus on love and spreading that love as opposed to envy and what comes with it?

“²⁰And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. ²³All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” — Mark 7:20-23 (ESV)

It is what comes out of a person that is where the problem lies. Anything that goes in can be dealt with and squashed before it can do any harm. Only those things that come out of someone are known and will cause harm and/or demonstrate their true selves at that time.

In the above verses, Jesus is explaining all that will create defilement of a person. He is clear to indicate that those are what comes from within that person, and this got me to thinking about what is within me and how it got there and what I can do to deal with it.

We watch a lot of movies and shows here and really enjoy them for the entertainment value that they present. In a number of those productions there is a character that swallows some bomb, or note, or other thing that might bring harm to another character or group. This item is taken into the character for safe keeping and is not let out. This item may damage the inside of the character in the short run, however if or when it is expelled, its condition is now of no harm to anyone else.

I take in a lot from those instances around me and I have the choice to keep it within or let it out. Keeping things within allow for the dispelling of the item and all that is harmful about it. Thoughts and ideas are some of those things that are taken in and I have the chance to end them there are act on them and demonstrate myself.

Envy is one of those items that may start as something that comes into me as a thought. When that thought comes into my mind, I then have the choice to act on that thought or bury inside me to protect me and those around me. Protecting me is part of it, as when I let the envy out for the world to see, they are now conflicted in what I say that I represent, and what they see I represent. I have heard the saying, “actions speak louder than words” and that is what is going on here. The visual of envy is speaking volumes to those witnessing them.

I have to know that it is what comes from within me that makes all the difference in my character, how I act and react, as well as what others see and therefor believe about me. I have to remember not to defile myself with that which is coming from inside of me. I have to be able to take things in and know that is where they end. I have to think of my body as the protector of me and others from the things that enter. If and when those things are expelled, it is important that they are of no harm to anyone else, not even me.

What are you displaying that first entered you? Are you allowing things that defile you to exit and possibly harm others? What if you were to take those things in with the intention of keeping them there to protect others and more importantly yourself?

This morning I was reading in Proverbs and continuing my study of “envy”.

“¹⁷Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.” — Proverbs 23:17 (ESV)

Here is another example of a verse that can be confusing when we are not focused on the full word of God and only looking at the words. When looking simply at the words in the verse there is a tendency to simple abide by them. Although, when you look deeper into God’s word, we find more context and are delivered to the truth of the totality of His word and not just this that is caught in a moment.

I digress out of the previous paragraph and get to my learning and reminder this morning. Look a the second part of the verse above. I should fear the LORD continually. That fear is acting on God’s word and not sitting idly by and allowing myself to be corrupted by what others are doing or saying.

“³Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” — Psalm 37:3 (ESV)

Again, filling myself with the LORD and focusing my attention on Him and His work will weed out all of what should not be there. When my focus is on acting out for the LORD, I am able to avoid that which is going against me.

The envy that manifests when we are not focused on the good of God and doing His work is debilitating to the point that we are not able to continue forward for God. We tend to dwell on those things and forget about the love God has for us and the love that we are to be returning to Him and heaping on those around us.

I am sure that most of us have experienced that shortening of time as we are focused on some task or work. I know that when I have my head buried in something, I am not concerned about anything else and time seems to fly by and everything around be goes on without my notice and frankly I am not bothered or even aware by any of it at any time. I have a couple of co-workers that eventually married. Thing is, it was several weeks before I knew as I was too busy working to get involved in their relationship. I went to one of them and asked how I did not know about their marriage and was looked at and with a serious statement they said, “because you are not all up in everyone’s stuff.” Where at first this concerned me as I was not creating relationships enough with people to know personal things about them, I eventually came around to the realization of the compliment to my work ethic and focus on those things that are of more importance.

What does this previous paragraph have to do with the idea of acting as opposed to envying. Well, when I am focused on those things that are of more importance, I am able to avoid all of the things that get in the way, like gossip, and sin. Diving into the work of the LORD will afford me the avoidance of things that are going to fade anyway.

“¹Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! ²For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.” — Psalm 37:1-2 (ESV)

I have to act on the work of the LORD and there is where I will find the sustainable love and care that I am looking for in this world. I find my reward in doing His work and not in the envious thoughts around others.

“⁴Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” “¹⁸Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” — Psalm 37:4 & Proverbs 23:18 (ESV)

Where is your attention? Are you envying those around you? What if you were to simply put your head down and act on the works asked of you by God therefor being able to avoid the envious thoughts as they are now not even seen?

I am reading this morning in Proverbs about “envy” and will say that at first reading, I am a bit confused with the below passage.

“³¹Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, ³²for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in his confidence.” — Proverbs 3:31-32 (ESV)

You see, when I look at this passage I see that I am not to envy the violent and devious, and in the next part there is reference to the upright. Am I to envy them instead.

Where I know that the answer to the last sentence is NO, I cannot help wondering what someone that only sees this passage would say or think or act on. I know that envy is one of the seven deadly sins, but do others. I know that we should not envy at all, but is that the teachings that are coming from the world I have to ask.

This is a great case for the study of God’s word and not just His words. God’s word is bigger than just the few words found in this passage. In fact, in my concordance there are five passages that I will be studying on the subject of envy. There are countless others that are not in the concordance that should be studied as well (ex. The parable of the prodigal son).

When I look into the sin of envy, there is a lot that is encompassed therein. The passage this morning discusses not to envy violence and deviousness. I have to remember that this is not the only. It is envy that should be focused on, not that which is being envied. It is the envy that leads to the destruction, not the violence and deceit. Yes, violence and deceit are not to be tolerated, but with our focus on avoiding envy, those will be snubbed out.

Envy is that which will drive to other actions. It starts with comparison and then moves to want and then to desire and then to taking actions to obtain and then comes the “at all costs” part which is where violence and deceit come in. I have to avoid the root cause of the violence and deceit and that is envy. I have to demonstrate my content with that which is part of my life and know that what others have or obtain is for them and not for me at that time and then celebrate with them in earnest. My receipt of such things may not be in the plan for me from God and I have recognize that my work for God is of most importance. I have to root out all envy in my life.

What do you have in your life that may have begun with envy? Did you obtain those at all cost? What if you would have simply been content with what you had and sought after pleasing God and removed all envy from your life?

Envy: painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage (Merriam-Webster Online)

I was struck by envy as was presented by my pastor in our service over the weekend. The message was based in Luke and on the prodigal son although not the part that most of us would think. You see, the older, other son was of the envious sort as he the return and celebration of the brother as a slap in the face as he had been there the whole time and devoted himself to the father and the family business. How could the father be so giving to the one that had renounced the family and taken his inheritance and squandered it and then returned to a hero’s welcome while the older son toiled away continuing to work for all that he would later receive.

I have to admit that I was, to some degree, looking in the mirror as relates to certain points in my life. I feel a lack of appreciation for the work I am doing and yet, those that seem to struggle and fail are celebrated for doing something that to others is just a normal part of the job. I feel as though there is an over abundance of joy presented for someone or something that has just met the standard that others have been meeting for some time. What is that saying to the rest of the group.

I have to look inward at my own self and know and remember that what I do is not for me and that the work done by someone else is not the standard I hold to. I serve God and not man. My reward is in heaven and not here in this world. I am not bound by the acceptance or acknowledgment of those around me, but by the acceptance and acknowledgment of God the Father. I am a child of God and am only in this world temporarily, until I have completed that which has been assigned me by God. I have to let others receive that which they receive and celebrate with them knowing that all that comes to me is from God and not of man.

Wow, that seems so easy to do and when done, there is a full release and wave of comfort. But, seeming easy is not the same as being easy. I am a man and want what a man wants. I feel slighted when these things occur and certainly want what others are receiving. And that is why sitting in the sermon titled “The Sin of Envy & The Beauty of Love” is exactly what I needed. I was, as mentioned in my first paragraph, “struck” by the message. I was reminded and convicted of my own sin. I was reminded of the subtle nature of envy. I was convicted of my thoughts and feelings of and for others. I have been at the pity party and need to leave as it is hindering my celebration with others. I am thinking of me and not loving of others as I should. Envy can be small, but lead to bigger things. I have to recognize it for what it is, take on gratitude, and remember the truth of the gospel as noted by my pastor Jared: “The Heart of God is Forgiveness not fairness”.

What things are going on in your life that you think may be unfair? Are you looking to be recognized for what you do, or are you looking to celebrate with others? What if you recognized, showed gratitude, and remember the truth as opposed to wanting more or that which others have?

I have, on multiple occasions, had a splinter in my finger, hand, foot, or some other part of my body. In those instances I have chosen to either deal with the splinter or let it alone hoping that it would work itself out.

Where, there were times, when the splinter did indeed work itself out, it took a very long time and thankfully it was small enough that it caused manageable discomfort. In those times I took the time to remove the splinter, I was able to get relief and move on with everything else in very short order. Yes, there may have been some discomfort at the moment, but relief was quick. And then there were the times when the splinter did not work itself out, and whoa was it difficult to deal with. That splinter festered and became swollen and tender to the touch, so much so that any light graze caused sharp pains. It got so bad that I eventually had to deal with it and in doing so, there was a lot of hesitation, pain, and regret that it seemed to take for ever just to dig it out. And then, there was the time for healing. There was continued pain, and discomfort and picking with it that it took days for the healing process to complete, and I still remember it all.

“⁹Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” — Ecclesiastes 7:9 (ESV)

Anger will eat at you until it is dealt with. I may be inclined to deal with it by allowing it to subside on its own or I can take action and get it out now. I may have some discomfort with the situation and dealing with the anger, but I will be able to get it out and move on. When the anger is not dealt with, I experience continued pain and swelling and it just seems to fester. I finally have enough and work to deal with it and experience that hesitation and regret to that I had not done anything to that point. And then, once the anger is gone, there is still this feeling that lingers for a good while, sometimes it seems to not subside at all. And then there are the reminders around that show what the anger did to me and others, further extending the discomfort.

I have to remember that anger should be dealt with now and in a very deliberate way. I also have to remember that my anger needs to be directed at the situation and not the person. I have to silently work through it and find the reason that can be worked to relieve the anger. Yes, there will be discomfort in the moment and it will not be a fun experience to work through, but the anger will be gone and likely will be forgotten.

It is easy to be angry, and for sure it is a part of our character as human. It is how I deal with that anger that give me the opportunity to demonstrate the love afforded to me from God. I have a choice to act out or hold back. I have the choice to get it out or allow it to work out. I have to take stock in the degree of discomfort I am will encounter with each.

What anger are you dealing with? Are you allowing it to work itself out and what discomfort are you dealing with? What if you were to deal with it and not let it fester to the point of continued pain and discomfort that lasts well beyond the release?

“⁴Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” — Psalm 4:4 (ESV)

There is a part of me and likely everyone that when anger comes on, there is the tendency to lash out and let it be known that the wrong has occurred. Am I wrong for having this tendency? I do not believe I am wrong. Humans are emotional beings and we are will lead with emotion in many if not all situations. The thing is that it is not in our or others best interest to allow emotion to take over.

Anger is a very powerful emotion and it should not be ignored. Even God has instances of anger with sin. I believe it is important to “get it out” so that I can somehow begin to deal in rational terms as opposed to the irrational.

In my work as a corporate trainer, I work with customer facing employees that are exposed to situations where the person they are working with are not the happiest of individuals. The people tend to lash out when things are not going their way and frankly I do not blame the employees for getting angry and wanting to defend themselves against attack, as I am sure that you would want to as well. The thing is, anger on both sides does little if anything to help the situation. Things will simply continue to escalate and no one will be heard as both are only listening to the sounds of their own voice.

Look again at verse four in Psalm 4 above. After the first two words, notice the approach that is recommended, do not sin, ponder things, and be silent. All of those recommendations are acts in control and rational thought. Without the rational, things only get worse. I have to be the one to begin the rational when I find myself angry.

Have you ever witnessed the angry person give up on their anger once they are heard. It is important to “get it out”, the trick is to not in front of the other person. Being angry is natural and you can see in verse four above that it is okay. What is done next is where the impact is made. Remember that we are to work on the problem and not the person. Be angry with what happened and work to fix it as opposed to fixing the person. Silence in the face of my anger will go a long way to resolving and avoiding any additional escalation.

How is it that you react when you are faced with something that makes you angry? Are you allowing the emotion to take over and acting on the desire to lash out? What if you took a beat and sat back to avoid sinning, ponder the situation, and be silent?

This morning as I read and study the word “angry” I am reminded that actions taken are not where anger are or should be directed. It is the actions that go against that are where our anger should be directed. Even in the passages that I have written recently, I am not describing or talking about actions taken, but those actions that are against God or me for that matter.

“⁹And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice ¹⁰and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the LORD commanded.” — 1 Kings 11:9-10 (ESV)

See above, God is not angry with Solomon for actions taken, but for turning away from Him. God is concerned with the work that I am doing for Him. He cares for me, comforts me, protects me, and lifts me up so that I am able to do the work that He has for me. It is when I am destructive to those works that things get a bit messy and God may be come angry with me. He is angry that His work is not being carried out, not that I have done something, but that I have not done that which was asked of me.

Solomon’s actions as king were not in question and to even show that to him, God did not take anything from him during his reign. God vowed to take the kingdom away from the house of Solomon, but not during his reign, during the reign of his son.

“¹¹Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, ‘Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. ¹²Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.’” — 1 Kings 11:11-12 (ESV)

Here I see that the LORD was working to restore His kingdom. God was angry with the actions of Solomon for turning away from Him, and where He brought it to the attention of Solomon and afforded him the opportunity to correct his actions, the punishment for those actions was still going to take place. The rule of Solomon God allowed to continue and then the consequences were realized after his rule was completed. Again, God was angry with the actions against Him and not the other actions.

I take part in a lot of actions in my life. Some of them are great and others of them, not so much. It is all of my actions that I am accountable for, although those that create anger should be those that go against someone else, and not just my actions in general. No matter the actions of others, if those actions are not going against me, then my role is to love and forgive. And when the actions go against me, I am to be angry with the action against me and not the person or any other actions they happen to be involved. I am not in the business of being angry for the sake of others, unless those others are not able to fend for themselves.

Where is it that you are directing your anger? Are you angry at the actions of others? What if you directed you anger only in those instances when the actions are against you and in all other situations you just saw as actions?

I am of the belief that there is such a thing as justified anger. When there is a wrong committed against someone, then the anger felt is real and one is/should be allowed to be angry with the wrongdoing. God demonstrates this as He deals with the Israelite people as they were rescued from the bonds of slavery and Pharaoh. Moses had been speaking with God and was reminded that the people had turned away from God and began to worship idols, specifically a golden calf.

“¹²Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them; they have made themselves a metal image.’ ¹⁶And I looked, and behold, you had sinned against the LORD your God. You had made yourselves a golden calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.” — Deuteronomy 9:12 & 16 (ESV)

God had removed the people from the rule of Pharaoh and the way they repaid Him was to worship idols and turned away from Him. If there is any justified reason to be angry, this was certainly one of them. God had every reason to be angry with the people and the actions they were undertaking to turn away from Him.

As I continue to read, there is more to it so that we are not confusing God’s justified anger at the people or individuals but His justified anger with the people and their actions.

“¹⁸Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin that you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger. ²⁰And the LORD was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.” — Deuteronomy 9:18 & 20 (ESV)

Notice the language used here. God was angry at the sin committed. He was angry with Aaron. He still loved them all and wanted them to experience all that He had committed to them, yet they would receive discipline for the sins they committed against Him.

I am no different than they. I am accountable for my sin and when I commit them, God is justified to be angry with me and my sin. I will be disciplined for my action or inaction. I have the same ability to be angry. And my anger can be justified. I am however held to be angry with the wrong and with the person for committing that wrong, but I must love them and not be angry at them.

What are some things that have happened in your life that you may be justified in your anger? Are you demonstrating anger at the wrong and at the person? What if you changed to be angry with the wrong and with the person and maintained your love of them?