No Envy

Journey of Love – No Envy

When I was a kid, there were often offers for special prizes that you could get by saving and sending in box tops.  We kids would make sure that mom would cut off the part of the box needed and when we had collected enough, we would send them off with great anticipation.  We would then wait anxiously for weeks for our prize to come in the mail.  Finally, the day would come and there would be a package for Kelloggs or General Mills and we would tear into it!  After all that waiting and anticipation, we would usually find the toy boring and be done playing with it in fifteen minutes.

Our earnest desire for that toy illustrates the word “envy” in today’s verse (1 Corinthians 13:4).  In the above illustration, the desire we had for that toy is almost humorous.  In adult life, unchecked envy can be very serious.  Check out the story of “the Window” here.  (It was too long to copy into this blog but it is a story that everyone should read at some point.)

Unchecked envy can easily lead to bitterness.  It can so cloud our minds that we would choose to do spiteful and even evil things to try to satisfy the desire it creates in us.  We can envy those in relationships to the point of entering inappropriate ones ourselves.  We can envy those who have more stuff than us to the point of getting into crushing debt.  We can envy those whose lives seem better than ours to the point of being bitter and hateful towards them.

So what is the antidote to envy?  I believe it is to simply be thankful for what you have.  It may be cliché but count your blessings!  Focus on the good things in your life.  Seek to share those good things with those around you.  In that was you can live out a true love that does not envy.