‘LOVE DOES NOT ENVY’

Sir,

No one is exempted from the diabolical power of envy. All of us manifest envy at different degrees. Some of us reading this article may be saying; “I am not envious of anyone.” Who really among us deeply knows his own heart? We all need to work on the envious tendencies of our souls.

Envy is pandemic and very deadly every time it infects our relationships. All of us are tempted to envy in one way or the other. Temptation is part of real life. All of us, or at least most of us have succumbed to envy at some point in our lives.

Envy is actually a universal problem that is a fundamental by-product of our fallen human condition. Someone said envy is the pain felt when someone has what we want. Envy and jealous seem to be words that are closely related, but envy seems to be stronger.

Emotions

Our emotions have both the positive and negative side. This applies also to the emotion of envy and jealousy. There is actually a balanced jealousy that protects and guards an exclusive, covenantal relationship. Envy or jealousy is only positive when it comes to protect and guard, anything out of that scope is negative and destructive to family, community and national relationships.

Pride

Since envy is rooted in pride, it will always boast and lie against the truth about what we have and who we really are. As much as self-seeking shadows envy, so does strife. Where there is envy, strife will also appear. Strife is a contentious struggle for superiority among people, either in the family, community or at the workplace.

Envy is a very destructive passion. Proverbs 14:30 says; “…a sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.”
Not only is envy rottenness to the bones, but it is also rottenness to families, communities and the nation. Envy is usually hidden until a certain occasion avails itself.

When your colleague is promoted, you suddenly discover the true nature of your friendship. Does his or her promotion bring feelings of jealousy and offence to you or do you rejoice and celebrate with them?

In order for us to be a progressive and developing society, we must all fight the temptation of being envious of one another to the detriment of the future of our families and communities. I believe the first thing we must do is to embrace and accept who we are. God created all of us to be unique and special in our own way.

We must refuse to compare or compete with others in an unhealthy way. Learning to compliment and appreciate the difference in others will always keep us sober-minded in the context of envy. We also must accept the fact that success is a journey, and then embark on that journey, and be willing to pay the price of success.

Mentalities

We must always look at envy and jealousy as low level mentalities. One of the greatest anti-envy medicines I know is love. The Bible gives us good definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, “…love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own.” First World status is possible when we begin to embrace excellence, good management of resources, truthfulness and then stop walking in the spirit of envy.

C S

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