Envy: Restless at Heart

Envy

James 3:13–18 ESV

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The grass wither and the Flower fades. . but the Word of our God will stand forever

Pray..

Jealousy and envy are complicated matters many have tried to address over the years. Thought leaders, philosophers, they all gave us think pieces about what it meant to them.

“envy is ignorance” ralph waldo emerson

“envy is the ulcer of the soul” Socrates

many others have cracked at the Idea of envy. I’m fascinated about how artist portray envy and tell stories about it.

Biggie Smalls- the money the more problems you have. Jealousy and envy follows. As one achieves success people become envious of you.

There’s a song Titled Jolene; some of you were introduced to the song by Dolly Parton others by Beyonce. Its the story of Jealousy and envy aimed at a mistress attempting to take another woman’s man.

sing: Jolene Jolene Jolene.. I’m warning you!

what is it. What is envy? why do people feel led to be full of envy.

By definition: envy is a resentful longing for what someone else has, possessions, qualities and wealth. Its an uneasy desire to have something that’s not yours.

I thought I was exempt from the feeling of envy, I mean, that’s the reason I was assigned this topic right? But an article published a few days ago in the Wall Street Journal gave me a “Not so fast my friend moment”!

The article entitled: Meet the World’s 24 SuperBillionaires. I clicked it because I knew my name would be listed. I didn’t make the top 24 nor honorable mention in the top 30. . . .

Reading this I had feelings. . . I wondered. . I imagined. . I wanted, in a small frame of time to have what they have.

There was a wrestling in my mind and my heart that took a few minutes for me to get my self back to reality and plans God has for me.

But sharing this captures what some of us struggle in different ways with envy: desiring what others have. It is important for us to discuss this because as the puritan preacher Thomas Manton said:

Envy is a rebellion against God himself, and the liberty and pleasure of his dispensations.

Thomas Manton

At the heart of envy is rebellion against God. We want to live our lives in ways that honors God. Going to war against envy and jealousy helps us in our pursuit.

Tonight i want us to see two major things with a few sub-points:

Problems with being Overwhelmed with Envy- how this effects are heart and hands.

Lastly, Overcoming Envy: contentment and celebration of others.

Overwhelmed with Envy

Heart

james opens our passage looking at wisdom. James says wisdom from above is pure and peaceable. The wisdom james is referring to comes from God. If we are fueled by God’s wisdom we can move correctly in this life.

We get the privilege of gaining access to this heavenly wisdom through God’s Word and His Spirit. The importance of being in worship, Bible centered groups and studies allows us to be enlightened and strengthen by our God. We need this regular worship routine primarily because of how easy it is for sin to entangle us and take our attention away from God’s kingdom. The word of the Lord says: seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all of His righteousness. .and . . . all others things will be added to you.

Oftentimes, our heart wanders to lesser things that for the moment appears to be urgent and necessary, taking our eyes off the kingdom and unto things the Bible says are fleeting and fading away.

James quickly lets his audience know what is not from above:

James 3:14–15 “14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.”

Bitter Jealousy, selfish ambition in your hearts!!

This can keep us from living in a manner worthy of the Gospel. It is not healthy to store envy and jealousy in our hearts. It is not wise, it doesn’t advance the kingdom, it distract us from our purpose of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

Proverbs 4:23 “23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Luke 6:45 “45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

I challenge you this week to think on the ways you may have envy in your heart. People around you already know it; because it flows out of our speech.

Parents who have kids doing competitive anything: sports, ballet, music, cheer (an unfortunate brawl happened over the weekend in Texas because of cheer). . we are always comparing and over analyzing other kids to lift our kids up or justify their strengths and weaknesses.

“my son is better at jumping rope than other boys. . he jumps to the tune of Beehtoven”

“my daughter has the best cartwheel than any girl in Tennessee”

Business leaders. . .teachers. . pastors. . everyone if we are honest have moments when we wish we could have just a little bit of what someone else has.

If we are real honest, we would call these desires what they are. Idols. . i have to have this in order to be great.

Tim Keller in counterfeit Gods had a formula to help us identify these idols in our heart.

We need God’s wisdom to guard our hearts so that we can overcome and not fall to the sinful desires leading to jealousy and envy.

Hands

sociologist, psychologist link envy to

Low self esteem,

Unfulfilled Desires

social and cultural pressures

and comparison to other people

we must protect the heart because the evil desires of our hearts causes our hands to act.

There are biblical examples of how our hearts make our hands act based off the links i mentioned earlier.

the Story of Cain and Abel (gen 4)

Genesis 4:3–8 “3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

see the progression

His offering made him have low self esteem, he compared himself to his brother. and he kills him

We must guard our hearts against envy and jealousy

joseph and his brothers (gen 37)

Genesis 37:11 “11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.”

Genesis 37:18–20 “18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.””

His brothers hated him because of his status, because of the vision God gave him.

We must guard our hearts against envy and jealousy

Overcoming Envy

Fruit of the spirit

Love him, and then thou wilt not envy him.

Charles Spurgeon

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Contentment

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

celebrate others

Romans 12:15 ESV

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Rudy movie

Rudy wanted to play at Notre Dame badly. he wasn’t a good student did not have the physical ability to play at a high level. After he gets iin the school he’s a walk on is getting beat around. He showed heart and resilience. He celebrated the players well, although he wanted to be them. . he over came this by being the biggest cheerleader.

he won the hearts of the team and got his chance

Rudy Rudy they screamed in the stadium. He made one play and it changed him for life.

benediction

may the lord bless you and keep you

may his face shine upon you and be gracious to you

and give you peace