Jealousy...An UGLY Emotion!

While recently going about every day life, I have encountered jealousy and the rearing of its ugly head aimed at myself, forcing me to pause and take a long look at this most awful of emotions! I have always known the meaning of the word jealousy, but wanted to get Old Webster's perspective on it.

Jealous: adj 1:demanding complete devotion 2: suspicious of a rival or of one believed to enjoy an advantage 3: VIGILANT

Hmmm, while I have always loved the word vigilant and even considered myself to be this or at least strive to be ever vigilant....I wanted to yet again turn to my friend, Webster.

Vigilant: adj alertly watchful esp. to avoid danger. I like that definition and think that is precisely what the Bible speaks of when it talks of us being ever vigilant.

One of my all time favorite stories from the Bible as a little girl was about Joseph and the coat of many colors. As I got older, I realized that there was much more to the story than just a kid scoring a cool coat. Out of all the stories told in the Bible, this one best represents what the bitterness of jealousy can do to the mind and heart of a person. Joseph obviously held a special place in the heart of his father. I am sure that Jacob loved all of his other children, but his heart held a fondness for Joseph because he was born to him in his old age. Once his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph so much, they grew bitter with their hatred and the Bible tells us, could not even speak a kind word to their own brother. How sad.

As they allowed the jealousy to take root and grow in their hearts, they got together and hatched a plan. They intended to kill their little brother. Just throw him away like yesterday's garbage and it would be good riddance to him. One brother, showed a little character and stepped forward and told them to just throw him in a well, and planned to rescue him at a later time. But, would he have done that? How was he to know that there wasn't a poisonous snake in the bottom of the cistern that would bite and kill him? However, after throwing their brother into the well, they decided it was all for naught. They schemed yet again. Merely throwing their much despised brother into a well wasn't bad enough, why not sell him to passing merchants and allow them to use him as a slave if they so wished. After being handed twenty shekels of silver, the deed was done.

What the brothers did not bank on was the mind numbing grief of their father. No matter what any of them tried to do, they could find no way to console him. Did the sons feel any guilt as to the pain they were causing their father? Or did jealousy numb them to anyone else's pain? After they had ridded themselves of their brother, did the jealousy and bitterness leave their hearts? I am going to go out on a limb and answer a resounding NO!

Even after all that was done to Joseph, many years later, after enduring many painful times in his life, which God turned around to His favor...Joseph was once again reunited with his brothers. Hence one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible, to me....."You intended to harm me, but GOD intended it for good." (Genesis 50:20)

I struggled with jealousy for a period in my life. It is not a pretty emotion to display or to feel. It is a soul eating bacteria that once it has one in its clutches, I truly believe, only GOD can rid a person of it. I prayed often for God to take it from me and the way in which HE healed me, was to allow me to see it up close and personal through another. While it is hard to catch a mere glimpse of yourself through someone else, it can be humbling. Proverbs 14:30 says it best, "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but ENVY rots the bones."

While there are those that feel that we are accountable to each other as christians, I do not think that we are to feel jealousy towards one another therefore, ignore the plank in your own eye and point out the speck in your brother's. If you experience jealousy at some point, dig it up from the roots and rid yourself of it before it has a chance to grow. Once it takes root, I think that ONLY God can rid your very soul of it.

Jealousy makes the prettiest of people quite ugly. All other redeeming qualites that the person may possess are no longer visible. I have now seen it close up and aimed at me and that alone, thank you God, will keep me ever VIGILANT to steer clear of the danger of jealousy.