Despite being really majestic himself, Lucifer became jealous of his Creator’s majesty, and was cast out of Heaven when he rebelled against the Lord. (Isaiah 14:12) Cain murdered Abel because of his jealousy over Abel’s standing with God. (Genesis 7:4-5) Jacob was jealous of Esau and was exiled from his family in consequence. (Gen. 25-27) Joseph’s brothers were so jealous of him they tried to kill him and had him sold as a slave. (Gen. 37) Saul was murderously jealous of David’s successes, skills, and popularity and tried to put a spear through him at least twice. (1 Samuel 18:11, 20:23) The Gospels tell us the leaders who crucified Jesus were jealous of him. (Matthew 27:18)
Jealousy can destroy friendships, families, careers, lives, and destinies. (James 4:1-3) No wonder the Ten Commandments repeatedly prohibit covetousness – jealousy of another person’s belongings, success, family, life. (Deuteronomy 5:21) If jealousy is coveting and taking at the expense of others, then jealousy flows the opposite way as love, which is giving to others at the expense of ourselves.
Where does it flow from? Fear, insecurity, lack of trust, low self-worth. When we fear we are worthless, jealousy kicks in as a maladaptive mechanism, seeking evidence that others are worth more than we are: they are more successful, more attractive, more popular, etc. This sometimes leads us to attack them, causing harm to ourselves and those around us, but it always leads us to attack ourselves: berating ourselves for others’ successes and giftings and blessings instead of celebrating with them, and we become blind to any blessings and victories and giftings in our own lives as we obsess about those of folk around us. Cyprian of Carthage said “we are turning the advantages of someone else into our own injury, their glory into our punishment.” Saul was king of Israel, and yet instead of celebrating his own wealth, power, success, etc., his insecurity caused him to be jealous of David’s potential, so much so that he ended up sabotaging his own life and harming himself far worse than he did David.
We can escape this cruel tumbling fall when we start to appreciate our amazing worth and value as children of God. There is no other competitor in your lane: only you can fulfill your unique vocation responding to the call of God in your life. Comparing yourself to others will serve only as a distraction and a stumbling block on your way to becoming fully who God calls you to be. Instead of being destroyed by sinful grasping, lusting, taking, you can practice giving, loving, serving and behold as you are changed within. (Romans 12:2)
Ash Leighton Plom 