Envy

Envy is a very common and destructive human emotion. To see someone else made much of somehow diminishes those who see it. We desire the praise and attention for ourselves, worthy or not, and it is much easier to tear down another’s good reputation than to rise up ourselves to equal or surpass them. This has always been so. Let us look at a few examples.

When Joseph whom Jacob “loved more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age”, received from his father a special coat, “his brothers hated him and could not speak peaceably to him” Gen. 37:3-4 “and his brothers were jealous of him” Gen. 37.11 We are all familiar with the history of Joseph—how he was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt where he rose from one position to another until he was second ruler in the Kingdom, second only to Pharaoh, himself. In the meantime, he had no idea what the future held for him and he suffered many indignities. God took care of Joseph and all turned out well, but Joseph had no way of knowing the outcome when the events were taking place.

When Daniel was given an important position in Babylon, the other rulers of the Kingdom “sought to find a ground for complaint against him with regard to the Kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, be­cause he was faithful, and no error or any fault was found in him” Daniel 6:4. This did not deter them, however, and they persuaded the king to require that no one should “make a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to him, or be thrown into the den of lions. According to the law of the Medes and Persians, a law once signed could not be changed.

Daniel knew about the King’s decree, but continued to pray and give thanks to God three times a day, before his open window, as he had before. This was just the situation the envious rulers had planned, and they lost no time before reporting it to the king, who was distressed, but unable to change the edict he had agreed to.

Daniel was brought out of the lion’s den unharmed, because God had watched over him, but he could not tell when he continued to pray, as usual, what the result would be.

When Jesus came teaching and preaching and healing the sick, the Jewish rulers disregarded the blessings he bestowed on the people, and only saw in Him a threat to their own positions.

Instead of being glad that Jesus healed people who had long been incapacitated, they quibbled about the fact that He healed on the sabbath day. Their small minds disputed over details, and missed the larger picture. They could stoop to pay Judas to betray his Master, but when Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver, they found it important not to put the money into the Treasury because it was “blood money”.

Even Pilate realized that Jesus was innocent of the charges the Jews made against Him “For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him up.” Matthew 27:18.

Human nature has not changed, and most people find it easier to criticize than praise a person who has gained prominence by performing better than his contemporaries.

It is profitable to look at John, the Baptist. He was highly regarded when he was preaching and baptizing. Mark tells us “There went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.” Mark 1:5.

In spite of the crowds who came to see and hear him, John did not aspire to be more important than he should have been. He told them plainly, “After me comes He who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie”. Mark 1:7.

When John’s disciples left him to follow Jesus, a lesser man might have been envious, but John realized his work was over and summed up the situation in the words, “He must increase, but I must decrease”.

It is gratifying to climb the ladder of success from a low position to a more important one, but it takes a truly humble man to step down gracefully and let someone else pass him.