Envying others subtly corrupts the heart. We need to guard our hearts against envy for it impacts our wellbeing as well as our relationships.
Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; Proverbs 23:17
A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones. Proverbs 14:30
Envy is a polluter of hearts. It poisons a person’s perception and steals love towards others. Envying others can also be associated with being angry with those who seem to have something that the person wants. The scriptures command us not to envy others. When God commands something, we should take it very seriously.
Instead of envying others, the scripture tells us that we should be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There are many people with zeal, but it is misdirected. Some use it for competition, and others strive to prove how great and wonderful they are. Then some use their zeal to be angry at those whom they envy. They may judge them, look down upon them, or even criticize them. They are not happy with what others have. The Bible teaches us to fear God. When we fear God, we recognize Him and honor Him to be the ruler of all mankind. No person gets to dictate to God how He should handle others’ lives. Everyone should be focused on their relationship with God and ensuring that they are right with God.
With the advent of social media, it is even more important for all of us to guard our hearts against envy. It is easy to look at a few pictures or a short video and draw a conclusion on a person’s life. People can envy others’ lives, vacations, activities, friends, ministries, etc. In truth, most people know very little about what is going on in somebody else’s life, and they cannot judge their lives based on a post on Facebook or Instagram. If social media causes envy, then maybe it should be turned to protect the heart against envying others. We need to be vigilant with our hearts. Each believer should be well aware of the trigger points that can lead them to envy.
The scripture teaches that envy is rottenness to the bones. Envy destroys the person who envies. Envy does not take away from the person who is being envied, but it damages the heart and the health of the person who is envying. On the other hand, a sound heart is a healed heart. It is a heart that is dealt with internal pain and issues, and as a result, it is life-giving to the body.
When tempted with envy, we need to use the opportunity to fight against it by blessing the person. We can pray that God would grow them and bless them with truth, righteousness, wisdom, and understanding. You can also thank the Lord that He knows your needs and the desires of your heart and thank Him for taking care of you.
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