Envy- Ash Wednesday

Repent

Repentance was the first message of Jesus Christ

Lent is a season of repentance

Ash Wednesday is a time to reckon with our mortality, but also with the cause of our mortality: sin; i.e. turning from God.

The Desert Fathers long ago also practiced this contemplation of sin and a life of repentance

Moved from cities and towns to escape from sin, but found that they brought the sin with them

The “Seven Deadly Sins” come largely from St. John Cassian and Pope Gregory I.

Better thought of as “capital vices”, i.e. root sins from which all other sins grow out of.

We may be surprised how these sins have manifested in our own lives, even the ones we thought we had under control

Envy in Scripture

Our journey of meditating on our sins begins with envy.

Envy first rears its head in Genesis 4, i.e. the Cain and Abel story

The New Revised Standard Version Cain Murders Abel

In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, 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 countenance fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

It doesn’t stop there, however. Envy proceeds to destroy people and relationships throughout the biblical story.

Envy divides Jacob and Esau

Envy drives apart Jacob’s family as it arises between Rachel and Leah

Envy causes the downfall of King Saul as he envies David:

The New Revised Standard Version Jonathan’s Covenant with David

As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women sang to one another as they made merry,

“Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his ten thousands.”

8 Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day on.

Finally, it was envy that drove the leaders in Jerusalem to crucify Jesus:

The New Revised Standard Version Barabbas or Jesus?

17 So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Envy: What it isn’t

But what is envy?

Is it the same as covetousness?

We see even in the 10 commandments that covetousness is bad, but is it the same as envy?

Both involve wanting what another has, but they are not the same. Covetousness says, “I want that too,” but Envy says, “I want that one”

The covetous desire the thing itself, while the envious desire their rival not to have the thing

Tell Russian Genie joke

Is it the same as Jealousy?

God himself is described as jealous

In this sense, however, jealousy is more about the fear of losing something you hold dear, rather than in desiring what someone else has

Envy: what it is

Envy is primarily about a lack of self-worth. It is a comparison game that always sees others as better off, and thus sees oneself as inferior. It is a lack of self-love

Envy sees the world as a place of winners and losers, the more worthy and less worthy.

This view of one’s self and of the world is antithetical to love. In fact, it destroys love.

Envy does not allow us to rejoice at the good and wellbeing of our neighbor

The envious seek to pull their neighbor down to their level. They seek ways to sabotage their neighbor’s good. This is a system of hate, not love.

This move toward hatred of neighbor is slow. Envy develops slowly. It begins with inward thoughts and moves toward outward actions. It begins with hateful words, thoughts, and prayers, and moves toward violence.

Consider Cain and Abel.

Consider Saul and David.

Consider the Jewish leaders and Jesus.

The painful irony of Envy is that even in victory, one is defeated.

Envy seeks to find happiness by destroying the people we compare ourselves to. It is rooted in a lack of self-worth, and believes that bringing others down to our perceived level of worth will make us feel whole.

The only way to feel whole and valued, however, is through love. But Envy necessarily destroys love!

Envy not only destroys love with neighbor, but with God as well!

Envy leads us to see the world as a place of winners and losers, and more importantly, as an unfair place where we got the short end of the deal.

The blame for this is almost always placed on God. Thus envy drives us to hate God as well as neighbor.

Envy is also, in this way, rooted in the sin of pride. It places us as judge over what is fair and unfair, good and evil, and over who is or is not worthy.

Envy places us in the position of judge, and then drives us to right the wrongs we perceive in the world. In short, Envy places us in the position of God.

We see this not only in the stories of Cain and Abel, Saul and David, or the Jewish leaders and Jesus, but even in the Garden of Eden!

Envy: The Solution

So how can we escape the clutches of envy?

We only escape envy when we learn to rest in God’s estimation of our worth rather than trying to create our own.

We must learn to accept God’s love of ourselves, to be content with his assessment of our value, rather than trying to create our own self-worth by comparison to others.

Is 43:1-4

The New Revised Standard Version Restoration and Protection Promised

But now thus says the LORD,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

The New Revised Standard Version Restoration and Protection Promised

Because you are precious in my sight,

and honored, and I love you,