Category: Devotional Thoughts

The Folly of Jealousy

James gives us the following warning about having a heart full of jealousy or envy:

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.

-James 3:14-16

A jealous heart, according to God’s word, has been influenced by our own selfish desires, the ungodly values of the world, and the devil himself. Such a heart will not produce good outcomes. Jealousy was, in fact, the sinister force behind the first homicide (Genesis 4:1-8).

It is foolish to be jealous or envious of others. I would like you to consider four realities we have forgotten (or chose to ignore) when we are consumed by jealousy and envy.

First and foremost, a jealous heart has forgotten the grace of God.

Grace is at the heart of the gospel. It is the truth that because of what Christ has done on my behalf, I receive something from God that I have not earned and do not even deserve. What I deserve is judgement and rejection. But through Christ I receive just the opposite: forgiveness, mercy, and even adoption as a child of God.

It’s impossible for me to be jealous of others when I consider the amazing grace that God has expressed towards me!

Next, a jealous heart has forgotten the goodness of God.

Not only is God gracious, He is good. Any good thing I have in life is because God has, in His goodness, given it to me (James 1:17).

It’s foolish to be jealous of others because they may be blessed differently than I. I could, for example, choose to be jealous of people with a full head of hair. But I would rather be thankful that, at 50+ years old, I have a body that still works.

I can choose to be jealous or to be grateful, but I can’t be both.

A jealous heart has forgotten the sovereignty and wisdom of God.

Have you ever been thankful that God did not give you what you wanted? I’ve lost count of the number of times when I have been disappointed, only to discover that receiving what I asked for would have been disastrous!

I have learned that God closes doors for a reason. I can trust Him to give me what I need, when I need it. What He chooses to give someone else has no bearing on His plan for my life. I pray that you will learn the same lesson (maybe sooner than I have).

Finally, a jealous heart has forgotten that things are not always as they appear.

A couple of weeks ago I watched a video of a woman tearfully confessing that she and her husband were separated. I don’t know much about her, but she and her family apparently have millions of social media followers. I’m sure many of them were shocked by the news. How could a seemingly happy family fall apart with no warning?

The answer is pretty simple: things were not as they seemed. Social media bombards us with images of perfect, happy lives. I get it–I have no desire to post videos/photos of my worst moments.

But we must be mindful of this: what you see on social media is a highly edited version of one’s life. If you are not careful you may find yourself being envious of an illusion–of a life that doesn’t even exist in reality.

Father, forgive me for those times I have allowed jealousy and envy to reign in my heart. I pray that I will instead have a heart full of gratitude for your grace, goodness, and wisdom–all of which have been so richly expressed in my life.

Grace for your Worst Moment

I remember watching a show called ABC’s Wide World of Sports when I was growing up. The introduction to the show included this line: “the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat.” A ski jumper would crash as a demonstration of the later statement.

I have since learned the skier’s name is Vinko Bogataj. He is a Yugoslavian painter who participated in a world ski championship in 1970. He was 22 at the time of the incident. He lost his balance as he approached the launching point, falling off the side and into a retaining fence. The accident sent him to the hospital with a mild concussion and a broken ankle.

A producer for ABC interviewed Bogataj in 1980 for a special anniversary edition of the show. “When we told him he’s been on the program ever since 1970,” said the producer, “he couldn’t believe it. He had been appearing on Television 130 times a year.”

Bogataj has apparently gone on to live a good life. He married, raised two daughters, and became an award-winning painter. He even enjoyed a certain celebrity status from the accident (he came to America a few times for guest appearances). He is now in his 70’s. Regardless, he is most famous for what was probably the worst few seconds of his life.

Reading Bogataj’s story makes me thankful that my worst moments were not captured on video (good thing I grew up in a world without ubiquitous cell phone cameras).

I suppose Vinko Bogataj’s accident is already fading from our collective consciousness (Wide World of Sports was discontinued in 1997). One of Jesus’ followers, however, had his worst moment recorded in the Gospels for all the world to read:

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

–Matthew 26:69-75

Peter and the other disciples had been warned. Jesus, in fact, told him that the enemy would shake all of the disciples to their core (Luke 22:31-34) and that they would scatter (Matthew 26:31).

But Peter stubbornly insisted that he would stand strong, even if the others did not. He considered his own self-assessment to be more accurate than the words of the Lord. I’ve repeated this warning to my congregation:

It’s a dangerous thing to overestimate your strength.
It’s a dangerous thing to underestimate your weakness; your ability to fall into sin.

Peter was capable of doing something worse than he ever imagined. He claimed he didn’t know Jesus, and each denial became more emphatic (he essentially called God as his witness while lying). This man who had walked with Jesus for three years did not have the strength to answer a slave girl and some random bystanders.

The sound of the rooster made Peter aware of his failure: he had denied the Lord three times!

This is one of the many times I’m grateful for the truthfulness of the Scriptures. The lives of the people God uses are more complicated than highlight reels of victories. They failed God, just like we do.

I’m even more grateful when I read the Gospel accounts of Peter’s restoration. Peter would preach boldly at Pentecost and became a pillar the church. According to Christian tradition, Peter was martyred by crucifixion. He insisted on being hung upside-down, saying he was unworthy to die in the same manner as the Lord.

God’s grace is greater than your worst failure.

This devotional is included in my new book entitled Knowing God’s Will: Discovering His Plan for Your Life.