A Case Of Rotting Bones

Jealousy! Envy! Aren't we all guilty of these? There is a saying that if envy were a fever, all the world would be ill! If we are honest with ourselves we will have to admit that we can so easily fall into the trap of being envious or jealous of people. Maybe even our best friends because they seem to be successful when we are not, they may be cleverer than we are, or their mobile phone is better than ours.

One of the rotten things about envy and jealousy is that it hurts our friendship with other people. It makes an invisible wall between us and our friend if we are envious of them. Another of the rotten things about envy and jealousy is that it makes us dissatisfied with God and what he has given to us in his goodness and mercy. "Peace of mind means a healthy body."

God is good and he knows what is good for us. Yet another of the rotten things about envy is the way it takes our minds off the things which God wants us to think about most of all. In Galatians 5:22 we read about the fruit of the Holy Spirit which should be seen in the Christian's life: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." When these things are the really important things in our lives we will not be proud, or make trouble with each other, or be jealous of each other. We will have a healthy Christian mind and body — not rotten bones!

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to fight the temptation to be jealous of my friends. Amen.