Big Wheels, Lunchboxes, & Envy
Have you ever been envious? Envy is having hatred or ill will at another’s advantages or possessions. Envy is resentful dislike of another. Do you ever resent someone for what they have?The feeling of displeasure produced by hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others. (Vine’s Expository and Webster’s Dictionary)
Have you ever had a feeling of displeasure as a result of hearing of another’s advantage or success?
I grew up in a neighborhood of about 30 boys. There was one particular boy who made straight A’s; was the first to own a big wheel; first to go to Disney World in Orlando; and the first to own a H.R. Puffinstuff lunch box. He was doing great for a seven-year old. All the boys in the neighborhood managed to give this poor guy him a hard time. It wasn’t that we hated him; we envied him.
We laugh now, but it is not so funny when two women fight at the office because one is envious over the other’s pregnancy. Or when I found myself cringing inside over a colleague landing a huge account.
How envious are you?
Psychoanalyst Joseph Burke says, "Envy begins in the eye of the beholder. An eye that exaggerates, misrepresents, and selectively chooses to hate." I think envy is a form of self-pity and a form of fear.
Proverbs says envy rots the bones. How’s your bones?
No wonder they call ENVY one of the seven deadly sins.
It kills me
It kills you
It kills the Spirit
It takes the life out.
I think the reason this happens is because I focus on what others have and therefore what I seem to be lacking. If my attention is on where God as been good to you versus where God has been good to me, I find myself living in scarcity versus abundance. Gratitude for what God has given to me and the unique gifts I possess frees me from focusing on you. When I am genuinely happy for your giftedness and blessedness I am actually loving myself. I want to love myself today. How 'bout you? Emotional and spiritual maturity is a result of gratitude and keeping the focus on myself and what God is doing in my life. I want to be emotionally and spiritually mature today.
6 Comments:
I've been fighting the envy within me my whole life, and even more so since becoming a Christian. Sometimes I have no gratitude, and I, as you also admitted focus on what I'm lacking, not on the riches God has given me. What can I say, it's a cross I bear, but not the right kind.
There are days when I hate reading your blog...because somehow you manage to address all my crap with your postings. Thanks a lot. (kidding...)
It really is amazing how much of my life is driven, in one way or another, by envy. I think I was born with a bad case of "else" - wanting to be (and look-like, and sleep-with) some*body* else, living, and working, and driving some*where* else....Grrr. Yup - all that crap is still there.
As you said, envy is just resentment in four letters. And resentment's no big deal, right? It just cuts me off from the sunlight of the Spirit, giving me a great excuse to go back to every one of my addictions in the darkness. No problem...
It all comes back to willingness and acceptance - the willingness to deal with my lot, to play the cards, I've been dealt, AND to accept that I am who, what, and where I am for a reason. Back to the Serenity Prayer, again...serenity to accept, courage to change, and wisdom to figure out which is which...
God, help me to get even a *little* closer to that, today. And thanks, Rick, for a very powerful (if not entirely comfortable) lesson this morning. God is doing good things for me through you.
i'm not sure how i stumbled across your blog about a month ago, but i wanted to let you know that reading your heartfelt, powerful words has become an important part of my daily routine. you are making a difference in a stranger's life through your efforts...and that's pretty cool! ive passed your link on to other spiritually minded folks in my life, and they have been equally moved by your postings. you have a gift. (no pressure, right :>)
thank you!
Thanks to those of you who encourage me to write what is on my soul and in my heart. I am flattered, yet deeply humbled by your kind words.
God's peace,
Rick
UH! I'm so envious of your last post, I wanted to post on something such as anger or envy, yet you beat me to them...no fair!
In all seriousness, I do like your site, very informative, and very nice. I do believe I will be stopping by more often...so be careful what you say, lest you be blogspotted by me, and sharply rebuked! :) Be afraid, be very afraid!
Adam Sofyst
For us "mature" walkers, envy has taken a very dangerous turn from time to time. It scares the crap out of me to know that I lace my envious thoughts with religion & become something totally unlike what Christ would have for me.
I found myself thinking that I could do that better or more effectively & wonder why in the world that guy is in such a such position. Why is he/she up front leading this thing when I could be sooo much more effective. Nothing like filling a pew with green animosity.
Oh yeah, God, today I bring the sacrifice of praise into Your house along with an envious attitude that won't allow me to worship or do anything else fruitful today...
I really suck sometimes...ok most of the time...pretty much all of the time...
sorry
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