Charmain Hibberd
Creative Media Assistant
CBN Europe
‘The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.’
(Galatians 5:19-21 NIV)
Most of us are familiar with the fruits of the Spirit. They are some wonderful attributes that our character can display, and the list can be found in Galatians 5:22-23; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
These admirable qualities are in direct opposition to the list we find just prior to them, a list which includes our subject topic for today – jealousy.
Paul writes to the people of Galatia to encourage them to follow the path of the fruits of the Spirit, rather than their negative, fleshly counterparts.
Jealousy can be so destructive. It encourages us to have the mindset of, ‘you have, and I don’t’ rather than displaying love by trusting that what you have is a blessing to you and, if it is also meant for me, it will be.
Jealousy versus trust.
Jealousy can be so destructive. It encourages us to have the mindset of, ‘you have, and I don’t’ rather than displaying love by trusting that what you have is a blessing to you and, if it is also meant for me, it will be.
I think the reason God saw it fit to have Paul write jealousy into the fruits of the flesh is because jealousy leaves no room for God, whereas trust gives plenty of room for Him.
Others having opportunities does not subtract from our lives. God has enough resource and love to bless us all should He choose to. We don’t need to grapple for position. He loves us all equally.
Aswell as the fruits of the Spirit and the fruits of the flesh, the ten commandments in chapter 20 of the book of Exodus commands us to not covet.
Covet is a fancy word to describe wrongfully desiring something in such a way that bears no regard for others. God knew that it would be an issue for us as fallible human beings and did not want us to be mastered by it.
‘The grass is greener on the other side’ is a saying that is popular and feeds into that sense that what you have is not enough and what others have is more. It is simply not true. A more accurate saying might be ‘the grass is greener where you water it,’ in essence, your life will flourish in areas that you give due diligence and focussed attention to.
The moral of this little story?
Pay attention to the blessings and the goodness that you have in your life and less to the blessing in others. If jealousy/comparison/coveting are an issue for you, please seek God for healing and maybe also seek counsel from a trusted friend or leader. We are unlikely to go through life without ever experiencing these things, but we can master them and live grateful for what we have, not what we don’t.
