Proverbs 27:4 (ESV)
4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
A simple definition of envy is to want what belongs to someone else. Or a resentful, dissatisfied longing for another’s possessions, position, fortune, achievements, or success. The Bible says envy is an act of the flesh, the result of human sin: “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” according to Galatians 5:19–21.
Who is able to stand before envy? We’ve all experienced and exhibited envy, unfortunately, it’s one of the major vice or sin found everywhere, including the church.
Proverbs 3:31 admonishes us not to envy anyone, especially those doing wrong.
Envy denotes the emotion and attitude of jealousy. “Envy” is the dominant emotion motivating the Jewish leaders who sought to have Jesus handed over to the Roman courts in Matt. 27:18; Mark 15:10.
Envy and jealousy are closely related and sometimes used interchangeably in modern Bible translations, but they are not quite synonymous. Envy is a reaction to lacking something that another person possesses. Jealousy is a reaction to the fear or threat of losing something, or often someone, we possess. Envy is the distress or resentment we feel when others have what we have not. Jealousy is the sense of dread or suspicion we feel when what we have might be taken away.
We envy people we think are better than us or have something we don’t but think we should. We tend to get angry out of envy when someone receives, gain or purchases something we don’t think they deserve or qualify for. We should not envy others their good fortune-1 Corinthians 14:4 because love does not envy.
The root of envy is a dissatisfied heart. We experience envy when we cannot have what our heart desires. The Lord says in Psalm 37:4-6 that He will give you the desires of your heart if you delight in Him, not when you envy others but to trust in Him and do good.
Envy or jealousy is a hidden emotion brewing underneath. It corrupts our motives, thoughts, and actions. The object of our envious emotion may not even be aware of it and therefore be unable to deal with it.
An envious heart does not allow for a life of peace according to Proverbs 14:30, if the heart is diseased, life cannot be long continued.
Envy creates competition between people, like Rachael and her sister Leah whose whole lives were one competition after the other. Genesis 29:31-32; 30:1-16.
And in James 3:14–16, we find this stern warning about the sin of envy: “But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Wherever there is envy, strife is not far behind, be careful to avoid envy, it is cancer to the bones.
Shalom