A leader consumed with envy is not happy because of his diseased soul. The soul of such a person is defective and the person is unwell. Envious people live their lives as though they were on a crusade against their own personal happiness. Envy is a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another’s advantages, success and possessions. They do not want to be happy! They only want to focus on the existence of another.
Three Things You Must Know about Envy
- Envy is a negative personal trait that destroys a person from within.
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but ENVY THE ROTTENNESS OF THE BONES.
Proverbs 14:30
The Scripture calls it rottenness of the bones. Envious people are destroyed from within. They may have everything but are focused on what others have and what others are doing. Envious people are not content. They may look happy on the outside but their hearts are thinking about what others have and what others are doing.
To an envious person, happiness is not about what another person has or does not have. They may live in the most beautiful castle, but once the person they fear is smiling in a grass hut somewhere else, they are not happy.
Accept your lot and focus on what God has done for you. Your envy is self-destructive and the cruelty of your envy is eating you up.
- Envy is a negative personal trait that is as cruel as the grave
. … JEALOUSY IS CRUEL AS THE GRAVE: the coals thereof are the coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Songs of Solomon 8:6
Anyone who has attended a funeral of a young person cut down in the prime of his life will understand the meaning of the phrase, “as cruel as the grave.” Attending the funeral of young fathers, mothers and friends only leaves you with desperate feelings of pain.
It is distressing just to watch grieving families torn apart by death: loved ones are wrenched away from those that depend on them. The meaninglessness of their lives and the hopelessness of their situation cannot be counselled away. A great desolation falls on those left behind and a gnawing and persisting pain consumes them. Can there be anything as cruel as the grave? Jealousy is indeed a very evil thing!
- Envy is a negative personal trait whose evil effects are worse than anger and cruelty combined.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; BUT WHO IS ABLE TO STAND BEFORE ENVY?
Proverbs 27:4
What can be worse than cruelty? Remember that Jesus Christ was crucified because of envy (Mark 15:10). Envy is worse than cruelty because it is a mindless force that drives an individual to eliminate another without mercy or good reason. Envy is a monster that I pray you will not have to contend with.
The Greedy Man and the Envious Man
A greedy man and an envious man met up with a great king who was pleased with them for their good works.
The king said to them, “I desire to reward you for your efforts in the kingdom. One of you may ask something of me and I will give it to him, provided I give twice as much to the other.”
The envious person did not want to ask first for he was envious of his companion who would receive twice as much. The greedy man also did not want to ask first since he wanted everything that was to be had.
Finally the greedy man pressed the envious man to be the first to make the request. The greedy man was happy that at last he had won over the envious man and would have twice as much of the reward that was coming to the envious man.
The two men got ready to see the king and presented themselves before the throne to make their request.
The envious man spoke as agreed and said, “O great king we are thankful for your generosity and kindness towards us. Please pluck out one of my eyes. This shall be a sufficient reward for the rest of my life.”
The greedy man could not believe his ears! “I am going to lose both of my eyes,” he wailed. “Why was I so greedy? Why did I want twice as much? Why did I trust my life to an envious and cruel man?”
The envious man in his cruelty wanted the two eyes of the greedy man to be taken out to punish him for getting twice as much. The envious man was prepared to lose one eye so that his enemy would be blind. What kind of mindless and senseless wickedness is this?
Indeed, the cruelty of the envious is more than the grave! Be careful, dear leader, Jesus Christ was crucified because of envy!
For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
Mark 15:10
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