Do you look at some people and envy their lives or their things? I find some things eat away inside me, on occasions I get bitter. I know it’s wrong and sinful yet why is it such a powerful destructive emotion?
The green-eyed monster that speaks so loudly!
We pick up our story after David’s victory over Goliath and the Philistines. As they marched through the towns of Israel the women come out singing and dancing to greet their victorious soldiers.
And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 1 Samuel 18:7
The use of thousands and tens of thousands is used in Hebrew poetry to dramatise and emphasise an effect. For example: “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” Psalm 91:7
Saul the king is on his horse ahead of his armies dressed in his royal armour, great battle flags flying in the wind, yet fuming inside. His subjects not only put David on an equal footing with the King but go much further “he is ten times better than you”
And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 1 Samuel 18:8
The original words used in vs 9 are “kept a jealous eye on” or “looked at with suspicion” These changing times are going to test our sanctification like never before, I hate that I get jealous and envious.
Richard Stibbes hits hard in his book “Glorious Freedom”. He writes, “In spiritual things there is no basis for envy, for everyone may partake of everything. In the things of this life there is envy, because the more one has, the less another has. But for more to partake of spiritual things is a matter of glory and excellency”.
In other words, envy shows up when what we seek is from the world’s values, so we’re envious and jealous when others have what we want.
Envy and jealousy reduces in size when we see that each of us has been given everything in Christ to enjoy.
We don’t boast in who we are, or what we can do, or buy, or wear, or eat, or birth, or whatever. We can’t even boast anymore in the size of our churches. Actually I love that. God seems to have stripped so much away……..for a reason.
So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 1 Corinthians 3:21
Let no one boast in men. Why? Because all things are yours.
Paul will go on to say: Paul is yours. Apollos is yours. Cephas is yours. The world is yours. Life is yours. Death is yours. The present is yours. The future is yours. And all things are yours because you are Christ’s.
Therefore, Gateway Church, do not boast in men, boast in Christ. Be done with all worry, and all feelings of insecurity, and all fears of insignificance, and all craving for importance. Your salvation is solid. Rest in the unshakeable confidence and peace that no matter what comes to you in this world; tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, all things are yours.
But what if we are in that situation where out of the blue we have only slain a thousand and our friend has slain ten thousand.
Church we are going to stand up and honour, applaud, rejoice and congratulate in the success of others and willingly stand aside as God raises up men and women in our generation.
The word honour in the Old Testament comes from the root word “Kabod” which means “to give weight to someone.” It is an internal attitude of giving respect, courtesy and dignity to others.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour. Romans 12:10
I think this boils down to developing a culture that prefers to honour rather than be honoured. If you try to out honour someone it means you love to honour more than you love to be honoured. You enjoy elevating others to honour more than you enjoy being elevated to honour. If that makes sense. Let’s do this now…..
I was interested to see that today’s blog on honouring one another ran parallel to something else I read this morning: 1 Cor 13, the one that starts, ‘If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.’ The question is, what is ‘love’?
Commenting on this chapter, Don Carson writes:
(This passage) rules out of bounds one of the definitions of love that still persists in some Christian circles. They say that Christian love does not belong in the emotional realm, but is nothing more than an unswerving resolve to seek the other’s good. That is why, they say, love can be commanded: one may thoroughly dislike the other person, but if one conscientiously resolves upon his or her good, and acts accordingly, it is still love. Quite frankly, that sort of casuistry is reductionist rubbish. What has just been dubbed ‘love’ is nothing more than resolute altruism.
He’s right, I’ve often been taught that love is an act of the will rather than a feeling. I find it can be an act of the will, because doing the right thing does not always come naturally to me and is sometimes done through gritted teeth – forgiving someone, for example. I was relieved to see that Nigel can sometimes feel the same way. I take Carson’s point though – the definitive proof is 13:3, ‘If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.’ Altruism and self-sacrifice may be a part of love, but they are not love.
As Carson says, the supreme example of love is Christ’s love for us – based entirely in His character and not on ours, yet filled with incalculable affection and warmth. More than that, I believe that Christ’s love for us is joyful because He is Joy. For example, in Jn 17:13 He says: ‘… I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.’ Love, as defined in 1 Cor 13, is ultimately joyful.
The question is, how do I get from where I am to where I should be? How do I get from honouring someone through gritted teeth to honouring someone because it’s an utter joy to do so? In encouraging the church to worship, one pastor used to say, ‘I don’t always feel like worshipping God, but I make myself do so. I find that although I start in the flesh, I always end up in the Spirit.’ That certainly works for me. Sometimes my worship starts as a decision, an act of the will. But soon enough, I find that I am being drawn up into the Spirit and worship is an intimate delight. Perhaps the same principle applies to love.
Mike C
All scripture quotations are taken from the ESV
This strikes a chord!
Perhaps, being envious or jealous as a first thought (i.e., in a mildly flawed way) isn’t the “issue”. May be dwelling therein (i.e., nurturing and fuelling envious or jealous thoughts or notions or imaginations) is the primary “issue”.
As a teenager, I recall picking up a random book about F. N. D. Buchman (I don’t think I finished it and I can’t remember the title), the author often portrayed Buchman’s understanding of God’s saving grace by premising on Buhcman’s favourite quotes (from songs, poems or hymns). One of these is:
“Man-like is it to fall into sin, Fiend-like is it to dwell therein, Christ-like is it for sin to grieve, God-like is it all sin to leave.”
It seems to me being “Fiend-like” by dwelling on these “vain-envious-jealous” notions or thoughts or imaginations till one becomes become so full of them and start to live and act on them could be the “issue”.
Going back in time (from a biblical perspective), one will discover that every time God “distinguishes” a “man”, the attitudes, notions and thoughts of those around such a man ultimately changed towards the man. I’d like to think that even when it is not explicitly stated, such changes in notions, attitudes and thoughts toward such an individual often stem from envy, jealousy and pride. If these uncouth attitudes, notions and thoughts of envy and jealousy are nurtured and fuelled, they may lead to hatred/excommunication (as in the cases of Isaac v The Philistines (yes, a whole nation envied one man because God blessed/prospered him – it could be that intense) and Joseph v His Brothers). And if it is still not checked, it can lead to murder (as in the case of Abel v Cain and the “potential or attempted” case of Saul v David).
I may not be able to point to the facts and figures, but I strongly believe many bodies, organisations and associations have either “murdered” the potentials of their very best or “lost” these “distinguished” individuals entirely out of envy and jealousy.
Also, in v9 of the same chapter (i.e., 1 Samuel 18), it is said that from that time on (after God “distinguished” David), Saul “eyed” David. It must have been a “present-continuous state” of mind with/for Saul. In other words, Saul dwelt on this attitude/notion/thought of envy and jealousy from that day and forward.
What I also find compelling in this story or narrative is that before David’s victory, Saul discouraged David from facing Goliath referring to David as a “youth” and Goliath a man of war. But later on, he encouraged him by arming him with his personal armour (which David eventually turned down). Here lies a great challenge (and possibly an Achilles heel) for patriarchs or those in positions of influence, who are currently (or will eventually be) positioned by God to encourage (or discourage) a younger generation to do (or not to do) things in the name of the Lord. It may even become more challenging for the patriarchs when the younger generation proceed to achieve great things (much more than the patriarchs) in the name of the Lord using their own style or methods (leaving the patriarchs with no claim whatsoever to such great victories).
No, I do not think there would have been a reason for Saul to be envious or jealous, if David’s victory was a thing, he could somewhat lay claim to as the King (e.g. If David had used Saul’s armour to earn his victory, and so on).
Without a doubt, naturally (humanly), seeds of envy and jealousy may be sown every now and then by the “enemy” as God elevates and prospers some more than the others, but such seeds must not be regarded or watered. For if they are regarded and watered, such seeds take roots and produce fruits (possibly many fruits, especially if they are coming from a person who has considerable influence over others like Saul did over God’s people).
Another reality check for me from Max Erhmann’s “Desiderata” (one of my favourite poems), as I ruminate on this:
“If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.”
Thank you so much for sharing. Again, I am encouraged.
God bless you real good!