Dealing with Jealousy













He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.” And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.

Many years ago, there was a guy named Theogenes. He was one of the greatest athletes in Ancient Greece. He had two victories at the Olympic Games. One was in boxing and the other in a free-for-all fight known as pankration. The Greeks erected a statue in his honor and people were generally happy. However, one of his rivals became jealous. He tried to push the statue over, but it fell on him and crushed him to death. What is the moral of the story? That jealousy always leads to the desire to destroy, but in the process leads to self destruction. 

And why are we talking about jealousy today? Because this is what the people of Jesus’ hometown felt when he returned, speaking with great authority and backing his words with some of the most awesome displays of power they had ever witnessed. They would have first been incredulous (Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?), then resentful (who does he think he is, coming into our synagogues and teaching us stuff?), then murderous (in Luke’s gospel these good people try to throw Jesus off a cliff! (see Luke 4:29)). That’s what jealousy does.

Jealousy is an ugly emotion. It leads to depression, anxiety, anger, rage, frustration, fear, and even to murder. Scripture is replete with examples of what jealousy does to people. Cain killed his brother Abel because he was jealous of him. King Saul tried to kill David because he became jealous of him. Instead of looking after his subjects, Saul spent most of his time after that trying to kill the young man. Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him because they were jealous of him. It is what we will do too. 

We may not physically murder somebody, but we will try to ruin them in other ways. Gossip and slander are ideal weapons. It is so easy to defame somebody, especially if we are in a position of some power or authority. A few words spoken to a few people are all it takes. A lie becomes a truth, and very often, can never be proven otherwise. We can see this happening around us all the time. However, if Scripture teaches us anything it is this: if God’s hand of protection rests on a person, we may find that we are the ones taken down instead! 

But we don’t want anyone to be taken down. So what’s the cure? One: Don’t look at others. We often miss rejoicing in the blessings we have received when we look at what others have received. At the end of the gospel of John, we see that Jesus has just restored Peter. As they set off, Peter sees John following him. “What about him?”, he asks Jesus. And Jesus retorts sharply, “What is that to you? Look at the blessings I have given you!” Two: Don’t give in to the flesh. In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells them not to engage in quarreling and jealousy, but to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:13-14)

When we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, we put on his heart and mind. And jealousy goes flying out the window!

Watch a video of this reflection by Aneel Aranha here: https://youtu.be/7qn3GeORAtE

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Let’s Get Healed - A Reflection on Matthew 18:21-19:1

Image
  Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me...
Read more

Patience - A Reflection on Luke 2:33-35.

Image
  And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”   This is probably the shortest passage that we have reflected upon this year. In it, we find a man named Simeon making a prophecy about three things. One, about Jesus. Two, about the people of Israel. And three, about the pain that Jesus’ mother Mary would go through. We have seen all his prophecies came true. But who is Simeon? And what can we learn from him? Ok. On the 40th day of his birth, Jesus is taken by Mary and Joseph to the temple to be officially inducted into the Jewish faith. When they were there, a man named Simeon came in to see them.   He is described as “righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Isr...
Read more

Dying and Killing

  The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earl...
Read more