Jealousy, Envy, and Every Vile Practice - June 13

Read James 3:14-16

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Reflect

Has bitter jealousy or envy ever tempted you to sin in other ways as well?

It starts right away when we are very young. Our parents set us down on the floor to play with another toddler. That toddler picks up a toy that we suddenly find very enticing. We may not have even noticed it before but now we see just how desirable that very toy is. We quickly determine that none of the other toys will do. We want that toy. Why should he get the best toy in the house? We simply have to have it! So, we go over there and grab the toy right out of his hands. “Mine!”

You see, we were born selfish. It is part of our sinful, human nature. No one had to coach us to look out for number one. No one had to teach us to want what other people have because we think we deserve the very best. Unfortunately, selfishness and envy left unchecked lead to a host of other sins.

For the context of today’s verses, Jesus’ brother, James, was urging his readers to live humbly according to the wisdom from above. He wrote, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13-14). Then, he warns about bitter jealousy and selfish ambition which are direct opposites of humility and heavenly wisdom.

If you claim to be wise but you are an envious and self-serving person, you aren’t operating with true, godly wisdom. Rather, James says that you are operating using worldly, unspiritual wisdom. He even went so far as to call this false wisdom “demonic”. Think about it…if heavenly wisdom comes from God, where does worldly wisdom come from?

Finally, James pointed out that where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is chaos and every evil practice. Envy and selfishness are sins that beget other sins. Remember the first murder ever in the history of mankind? Cain killed his own brother, Abel (Genesis 4). Why? Because he was jealous that Abel’s sacrifice had earned God’s favor and his sacrifice had not. Why did Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery? Because they envied him for being their father’s favorite (Genesis 37:3-4).

In his book, The Truth In True Crime, author, apologist, and former cold case detective, J. Warner Wallace saw first hand that envy is a sin that births other sins. Wallace wrote: “Envy brings out the worst in us, corrupting even the way we treat others. Envious people are more likely to deceive their friends and talk maliciously about them behind their backs. Envy also motivates more than its fair share of murders.”

He told a story about a man he first arrested for snatching a purse. But that first arrest didn’t deter him. You see, he wasn’t content with his own life and he wanted what everyone else had. He was especially envious of a fellow criminal whose life of crime had led to an extravagant lifestyle. So, he patterned his crimes after his idol. But numerous thefts, burglaries, and robberies eventually led to murder and a life behind bars.

Jealousy, envy, and selfish ambition are the world's way, not God’s way. God’s way is humble obedience to the Lord and considering others as more important than yourself (Philippians 2:3). The world’s way leads to disorder and destruction but God’s way leads to life and peace.

Respond

Lord, I confess that sometimes I see what others have and want it for myself. Help me to squash my jealousy before it grows and consumes me. I want to live according to Your wisdom, not the world’s. Amen.

Reveal

Philippians 2:3-4 says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Find a way to look out for the interests of someone else today.