Chapter Four
LOVE IS NOT ENVIOUS
Envy …
1: painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage
Now we could say that envy is also the same as being jealous. In fact in the New American Standard and Amplified bibles it does put envy and jealousy together. We also know that God said He is a “jealous God” (Exodus 20:5) when He was warning the Israelites about serving other gods.
Many people will use that verse in Exodus to back up their belief that God “gets back” at people. So how can we say, God does not envy, if He himself said He is a jealous God? I first want to look at the word jealous. There are several definitions of jealous as “resentful and envious” but the definition that I think God was saying, when describing Himself as jealous was:
“vigilant in maintaining or guarding something.”
He doesn’t want us having any other gods because He is guarding us. He knows what terrible things can happen when we turn from Him and give ourselves over to “another”. God definitely does not envy someone who doesn’t love Him. He knows where their path is leading. He is definitely not jealous of the devil. God knows he has already lost. Does it make Him sad that some people have chosen not to follow Him and in doing so unwittingly follow the devil? Of course. He wants all of us to have the victory He has planned for each of us.
Ezekiel 16:42 (Amplified)
So will I make My wrath toward you to rest and My jealousy shall depart from you [My adulterous wife], and I will be quiet and will be no more angry.
In this world and I would say especially here in the United States, it is hard not to look at what others have and not be envious. Look at all the magazine covers and Hollywood stars. I know I look in the mirror and think, “I wish I weighed what I did in high school instead of what I weigh now since having 2 kids.” “I wish I didn’t have freckles.” “I wish I had curly hair.” And so on and so on.
When we start to feel that way we just need to be sure and not start to become angry and resentful and hateful. It is easy to feel that way, because that is what the devil wants us to do. He was the first offender of this. He was jealous of God and I would say ultimately jealous of us- seeing as how God gave us everything Satan wanted. And it brought him to his destruction. So do you think He wants us to feel good about ourselves, to be fulfilled in what God has given us, to know what we have obtained through Jesus? No, he wants us to be unhappy. Satan helps us find our flaws and weaknesses and exploits them. Remember the devil is out to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and he will use whatever he can to do it.
Proverbs 14:30 (Amplified)
A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones.
We need to look at others and be happy for their successes. As the old saying goes, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. We can only see the cover and we need to read the book. I know people that are beautiful who think they are ugly. I know people who have all the money in the world and no one to share it with.
My children will ask for things that their friends have or that they see on television or in a store. I try and teach them that we don’t need to look at what others have but be happy with what we have and to look and see how we can bless someone else. At least three times a year, we go through the kids toys and they get to pick what they want to give away. When we have done it with this attitude of blessing someone else, the kids get so excited and they pick out toy after toy to give to others. It is so awesome to see them get excited to want to bless others. Now, when they have friends over, they have started giving them gift bags of toys - they came up with that on their own.
Galatians 5:26 (Amplified)
Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another.
Let us look at our own blessings and be thankful and look at how we can bless others and what blessings that may bring to a world that is jealous.
Chapter Five
LOVE DOES NOT BOAST
Boast …
1: the act or an instance of boasting: brag
2: a cause for pride
Psalm 52:1 (Amplified)
Why boast you of mischief done against the loving kindness of God (and the godly), (sinful) man, day after day?
What do we have to brag about? Did we create the universe, the heavens, and every living thing that breathes and lives? No, in fact, given to our own devices we would destroy ourselves, I think that point makes itself.
Every idea is given by God. But it is how we choose to use those ideas that make them good or bad. Fire, the wheel, weapons, medicine, electricity, radio and television. All of these things were birthed from an idea to improve our lives. But people have used them in ways that they were not intended. Fire helped people keep warm and to cook food. But people have abused that gift by destroying property and hurting others. The wheel was created to help us move things and ourselves more easily and quickly. But people become careless and cause accidents. Weapons were used to protect us from our enemies to get food and to protect land and family. But people have used them to kill the innocent. Medicine was created to heal and ease pain. But people have used this knowledge to create drugs that destroy lives either by illegal sale or addiction and others use the technology to take the lives of innocent babies. And radio and television, I believe were given to man to help spread the Word, but just like the others the devil has perverted the minds of men and it has now also become a tool for perversion and hate. This is one of the ways Satan works, he uses the gifts and ideas God has given us and perverts them and distorts them to use against us.
How mighty is God but never boasts of His great power, except to describe His love, His mercy and His grace.
So how can we as men not boast or brag on ourselves? Don’t look at yourself as the answer. This is how Lucifer got himself in trouble. He started to think of himself as more important than he was. So he wanted to be like God. And still even though Satan knows that his days are numbered he boasts of his triumph. Why? Because he wants to take down as many people as he can before his fight is over. How can he do that? By making us trust ourselves and in doing so, turn to him rather than God.
Proverbs 27:1 (Amplified)
DO NOT boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth.
God is our source for good things. If you are smart, you can thank God. If you are a great cook, you can thank God. If you can sing, you can thank God. If you are a doctor, you can thank God. If you are a parent, you can thank God. If you have a home, you can thank God. If you have a job, you can thank God. God made all of us with things that we are good at. We can call these talents or gifts. We can use them for good or we can use them for evil. I know some people who thank God every day for where they are and what they can do. But I also know people who love to brag on themselves and let everyone know where they are and what they do. Yes, the evil can look blessed but that doesn’t mean that they are truly happy or that their fortune will last. As the bible says, what you sow you will reap (Galatians 6:7).
I see this with my kids all the time. When one of them can do something that the other one can’t do as well, they want to start bragging on themselves but in doing so they usually point out how the other can’t do it. As a parent, it is my job to tell them that yes, they may do that very well and even if our brothers/sisters/friends may not do it as well, we at least need to know they are trying and we need to encourage them to keep trying. It is okay to know that you do something well, but try not to compare yourself to someone else. We are all individuals and God has made each one of us special in our own way. That doesn’t mean I think that there should be no competition but it is the attitude taken during those competitions that is more important.
We need to be thanking the Lord everyday for the things we have and can do.
1 Corinthians 1:31 (Amplified)
So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.
We also need to think where boasting comes from, the devil. All boasting/bragging does is help us fall into the trap of arrogance. And when we become arrogant we begin to have a higher opinion of ourselves. And eventually we will depend more upon ourselves to make decisions and less on God.
I have been around people who brag on themselves all the time, everything they do is awesome. It is not really fun to be around someone like that. I know there have been times when I catch myself bragging on something I‘ve done, it leaves me with a weird feeling. I find that I get more satisfaction when someone else compliments me on an accomplishment then when I do it myself.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 (Amplified)
Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches;
But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment