The Subtle Chains of Pride
(May 2012)
Did you ever consider that sins are like chains? I don’t mean that a single sin is like a chain around your soul that can separate you from God, though that is true too. Rather, a sin can be a link in a chain to another sin, and yet another, and yet another.
Any sin can be a link to another sin, but three kinds of sin that seem to be roots of many others are listed in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.” (BSB)
All three of these are serious, but the sin we are going to look at today is pride. Pride is a subtle sin; it is often misidentified, and some things, like feeling good about an accomplishment, are falsely called pride. Today we want to better understand and recognize pride in our own lives, and root it out.
The ABCs of the Links from Pride
The sin of pride can be the start of a chain to be:
Arrogant, annoying, abrasive, argumentative, attitude
Bragging, boastful, belittling, brash, bad-mouth
Conceited, critical, condescending, cold, contentious
Deceitful, disparaging, discord, disrespectful, denial
Envious, egotistical, excluding, estranged
Foolish, full of themselves, fighting, fits of rage
Gossipy, gaudy, gloating, grasping for significance
Haughty, heartless, hostile, hateful, hard to live with
Insolent, insulting, insecure, insensitive, indifferent
Jealous, jeering
Know-it-all
Lying, libelous, long-winded, loud-mouthed
Mean, malicious, mad, mocking, making fun of
Narcissistic, no compassion
Offensive, obnoxious, obstinate, over-confident, odd
Provoking, puffed-up, pretentious, pompous, pushy
Quarrelsome, quick to take offense
Resentful, rude, rebellious, rash, ruthless, ridiculous
Selfish, snobbish, stuck-up, strident, spiteful, scornful
Taking umbrage, too proud to accept help
Unfeeling, unkind, unfriendly, unforgiving
Vain, vicious words, vilifying, verbally abusive
With few friends, win at all costs
Xenophobic [fear/dislike of foreign things or people]
Yearn for more credit
So do you really want to smell of pride? In the middle of pride is “I”. Pride is subtle; like bad breath, he who has it is often the last to know.
What God Thinks of Pride
Both angels and demons are probably astonished at the pride of puny, weak, sinful, forgetful people. But here is what God teaches about pride.
Prov 8:13 “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I [Wisdom] hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.” (BSB)
Prov 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (BSB)
Jer 13:17 “But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride.” (BSB)
Jer 13:1-11 compares Judah’s pride to rotting linen.
Amos 6:8a “I abhor Jacob’s pride and detest his citadels.” (BSB)
Envy and pride make a man unclean. Mk 7:20-23 lists these sins along with murder, theft, and sexual immorality.
Ecc 10:1 “As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” (BSB)
Spiritually speaking, pride is a type of folly that “stinks” before God, and a proud person smells bad to others too. “Arrogancy is a weed that ever grows in dunghills.” George Swinnock
Consequences of Pride
Pride goes before a fall (Prov 16:18)
Goliath’s taunting in 1 Sam 17:8-10,16
The Benjamites’ clan pride was greater than their sense of justice for evildoers in Jdg 20:12-46
The gang of 42 jeering at bald-headed Elisha. 2 Ki 2:23-25
The writing on the wall. Dan 5
Nabal was too proud to help David in 1 Sam 25:9-34
The king who exalts himself in Dan 11:36
Satan fell because of his pride in Ezek 28:17
A believer’s pride can hurt others
Hezekiah’s pride before the Babylonians. 2 Ki 20:12-19; 2 Chr 32:24-26,31
David’s census. 2 Sam 24:2-17; 1 Chr 21:1-9
Pride can make one glad to hurt others
Sanballat and Tobiah the Ammonite. Neh 4:1-3
Lamech, descendant of Cain, in Gen 4:23-24
The proud persecute others. Ps 10:2
Pride can make you do totally foolish things
Hanun the Ammonite in 2 Sam 10:1-6
Rehoboam’s loss. 1 Ki 12:7-17; 2 Chr 10:1-17
Pride keeps you from confessing to others
James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to each other.
Pride deceives
Think you are something when you are not. Gal 6:3
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. Rom 12:3
In humility consider others more important than yourselves. Php 2:3b
Pride can come back to haunt you
Men of Succoth and Penuel in Jdg 8:1-3,6-9
Haman was filled with rage at Mordecai. Esth 5:9-13
People can be trapped by their pride. Ps 59:12
Your pride changes God’s revealed will for you
In Dt 1:23-46 God wanted the people to go up to the land immediately. After they sent out the 12 spies, and the people believed the bad reports, God said they would wander until they died and their children would go up. In their arrogance they admitted they had sinned and said they would go up, after God had told them not to. They were defeated.
Notice that their arrogance caused them to confess.
“The Lord would give us great things if only He could trust us not to steal the glory for ourselves.” David Morgan
Pride adds to your sorrow
God will break a people’s strong pride. Lev 26:19
Pride subtracts from what you had
Tower of Babel in Gen 11:4-6
Ishmael was kicked out for mocking. Gen 21:9-10
Hagar’s despising Sarah probably set the attitude for Ishmael. Gen 16:5-6
King Uzziah got leprosy when he wanted to be a priest before the ark. 2 Chr 26:16-22
One reason the Israelites wandered and turned away is that they were arrogant and stiff-necked before God. Neh 9:16-17,29
Pride multiplies
Pride can provoke pride in others. Gal 5:26
Paul was a good example for us. Php 1:15-18
“The more pride we have, the more other people’s pride irritates us.” C.S. Lewis
As someone said, “When a proud man hears another praised, he thinks himself injured.”
Pride divides
Corinthian jealousy/dissension. 1 Cor 1:10-13; 3:3-7
Jealousy, factions, and arrogance go hand-in-hand. 2 Cor 12:20
Pride brings contention. Prov 13:10; 22:10; 29:8
Do You Stumble Others?
Don’t flatter others
“A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.” Prov 29:5 (BSB)
“A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.” Prov 26:28
Lying, flattery, and boasting go together in Ps 12:2,3
Flattery can be a powerful tool of wickedness
The king of the north in Daniel 11:32 will flatter the Jews who have violated the covenant.
Flattery deceives the minds of the naïve. Rom 16:18
How many ads can you think of that primarily appeal through flattery?
How have you been persuaded (for the worse) through flattery?
Flattery is not a tool of righteousness
God is interested not only in your achieving the right ends, but also in your using the right means.
Paul says that he never used flattery. 1 Thess 2:5
Evil people flatter others to their own advantage. Jude 16
In the end rebuking someone can give you more favor (with them) than flattering them. Prov 28:23
John Calvin said, in effect, that you were made for greater things than the sins you are now in. Was he using flattery or not?
However
We are supposed to encourage people. 1 Thess 2:12
Commending someone is good. 2 Cor 9:1-2; Phm 5
Telling others that someone did well is also good. Php 2:20-22,29; 2 Cor 8:1-5
There are many different types of pride, and we will discuss those next.
Degrees of Pride
Many sins have stages; so too does pride.
Pride against God that directly mocks God
Sennacherib in 2 Ki 18:19-25; 2 Chr 32:10-16
The bragging horn against God. Dan 7:20,25-26
Pride against people
Israel mocked God’s messengers. 2 Chr 36:15-16
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker. Prov 17:5
Pride in their own power
The Babylonians’ own strength was their god. Hab 1:11
Proud of their knowledge
Be not wise in your own eyes. Prov 3:7
All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes. Prov 16:2; 21:2; 26:12,16; 30:12
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. Prov 12:15
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 1 Cor 8:1
False speculation can puff up too. 1 Cor 4:6
Even the wicked claim to be wise. Rom 1:22
Proud of tolerance. 1 Cor 5:2
Reluctant to ask for help, or directions
Comparing with others
Comparing yourself to others is unwise. 2 Cor 10:12; 1 Cor 4:7-9
Judging others. Rom 2:1; 14:4,7,13; 1 Cor 4:3; Mt 7:1-5; Lk 6:37
Do you feel you are “above the law,” whether traffic laws or God’s commands?
Are you entitled because of your accomplishments?
The story of the executive trying to get on a flight. (Don’t say “I’m going to kill you” in an airport terminal.)
An arrogant tongue
Talking smack and pride in sports
Arrogant lips. Prov 17:7
Proud mockers have overweening pride. Prov 21:24
Some people say prideful words because they think it will help them to make a sale, get a position at work, or get a date.
God is especially against haughty eyes
Some people look like peacocks in their pride.
“There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.” Prov 30:13-14 (BSB)
“As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.” Prov 30:17 (BSB)
“Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the guides of the wicked—are sin.” Prov 21:4 (BSB)
Pride causes God to oppose you
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Jms 4:6; Prov 3:34; 1 Pet 5:5b
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Mt 23:12
Spiritual pride – the most insidious kind
Some will be surprised that what they took pride in will not get them to heaven. Mt 7:21-23
Is most works righteousness spiritual pride?
Proud of your relationship with God
Boasting of your relationship to God. Rom 2:17
Boasting in the law. Rom 2:23,27
Don’t be proud when you counsel sinners. Gal 6:1
“Proud man would perish unless lowly God found him.” Augustine of Hippo
Proud of your pedigree
Racial pride. Aryans, apartheid, antebellum South, Sudan, Rwanda, etc.
On a bumper sticker: “If you go to church, live a good life, and say your prayers, when you die you will go to Texas.” What would God think of that?
Stubborn pride
One form of pride is being unwilling to ask forgiveness when you were wrong.
Another form of pride is thinking you have the right to withhold forgiveness from others.
Do you feel some things are “beneath you”?
I am never wrong; I just change my mind.
Proud (at least to some degree) of your body
When I am jogging on the sidewalk, why do I speed up or avoid resting when a car is coming?
When my sister was pregnant, why did she notice that overweight men sucked in their stomachs when she walked by?
As someone once said, “Swallowing of pride seldom leads to indigestion.”
Admittedly, people sometimes do good things out of pride, like exercise and study. However, pride is still a sin, and it is better to do good things from better motives.
Be a good sport
Do not gloat when your enemy falls. Prov 24:17
How do you act when you do well on a test?
Rejoice when others do well
Thinking you can tell the future
There is one form of what God calls pride that is so common that we often are not even aware of this sin. James 4:13-16 shows that we are arrogant when we say we are definitely going to do something in the future. We do not know if we even have tomorrow on this earth. Rather, we should say, “If the Lord is willing,” then we will do something.
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Mt 6:34
A root cause of pride is viewing your worth, significance, or security as based on something of your own, instead of depending on God. As John Blanchard said, at its root “Pride is a denial of dependence on God.”
However
It is OK to take pride in yourself without comparing yourself to others. Gal 6:4
In Acts 21:19 it was OK for Paul to tell others what God had done through him.
Why Are People Proud?
Most people are good at some things that they are not proud of. Many are proud of other things they are good at. What is the difference? Pride is a charade, clinging to external things that they believe give them significance or security. According to my youngest daughter, a teenager, PRIDE stands for “People Really Into Dissing Others.” Pride is all about being the best, being better than others, or being miserable when you are not as good as others.
Pride can be external (“I want you to know this”) or internal (“I am happy to know this”). Many are proud of their athletic ability, intelligence, looks, or money. Pride looks ugly when it shows. But even if you don’t show it, you can still have pride.
“A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” Prov 29:23 (BSB)
There are many temptations in our culture to have pride. Do you recognize them? List some of them.
David and the father of the prodigal son did not have pride when they danced and ran. They were not mindful of how they looked.
Christians should never be proud over other Christians. 1 Cor 12:14-27
Looking good vs. being good
Deal with your pride
Much of pride is confidence in the flesh. Php 3:4-6 and then Php 3:7-10
Or God will deal with it for you
Paul and his thorn. 2 Cor 12:1-10
Prov 3:34; Jms 4:6b; and 1 Pet 5:5b all say that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. The antidote to pride is humility, which is next.
What things of God do you think you would never do because you are too proud?
Be Clothed in Humility
Can You Recognize Pride and Humility?
Which examples show pride, and which humility?
A Christian friend of mine, and some of his friends, saw that their church did not care much about missions, and they could not do much about it. So they started their own church. [A few years later the church closed, due to lack of funds.]
You are a good student, you studied for the test, and you walk into the test confident you will make a 100. [Later you find out you made only a 50.]
Same as before, except you find you really got a 100.
You think you are not going to do well on a test. Later you find out you did very well.
You tell your boss you are pretty sure you can do the job in a week. [It ends up taking two months.]
You tell the customer that, with your skills, you think it will take you two months to do the work. Somebody else also bids, saying they can do it in two weeks, and they win the job. Soon after, you do a similar job, and it takes you two weeks.
You successfully resisted a temptation (sexual, alcohol, etc.), and you think, God is pleased with me for being righteous.
What Exactly Are Pride and Humility?
Eliab falsely accused David of pride in 1 Samuel 17:28. Have you ever thought someone was acting proud – and then been proved wrong?
What is the difference between pride and its symptoms? What is the difference between humility and low self-esteem? Pride (and humility) is not about estimating (correctly or incorrectly) how well you will do at something. But we often confuse this with pride because a common symptom of pride is over-estimating your ability. Pride is focusing on “I”, and judging your worth based on what you are proud of.
Examples of Humility
In Num 11:26-30, when two elders, Eldad and Medad, did not join Moses and the seventy, God allowed them to prophesy anyway. Joshua told Moses to stop them, but Moses said he wished all God’s people would prophesy. What specific aspect of humility do you see here?
When David was on the run from Absalom, Shimei, of Saul’s family, threw stones at David’s men and cursed David in 2 Sam 16:5-14. Abishai asked David for permission to go over and kill Shimei. David would not allow Shimei to be harmed, because, he said, perhaps God had told him to do so. Why was it easy for David to be humble here? What lesson can we learn to help us to be humble? By the way, Shimei was traitorous in his curses. What eventually happened to him in 1 Ki 2:8-9; 2:38-46?
What can we learn from Peter in Lk 5:6-8 to help keep us humble?
Perhaps the second greatest example of humility in the Bible is John the Baptist in John 1:15-37. Here is what John actually did.
He could have been quiet about Jesus, but John cried out about Jesus (John 1:15a)
He could have said Jesus was a prophet also, but John publicly tells the crowds Jesus surpasses him (John 1:15b)
John could have been silent or affirmed as true what was not of him (John 1:20)
When others wanted to put John in a complimentary category, John did not allow this (John 1:20-21)
John defined his role solely as one pointing to another (John 1:22-23)
When John’s authority was questioned, he could have defended himself, but he still just pointed to another (John 1:24-27)
John made sure people understood Jesus’ role. (John 1:29-34)
John even encouraged his own followers to follow someone greater than him (John 1:35-37)
Now replace John’s name with your own, and show how you did these things either for Christ or for other godly Christians (Philippians 2:3b)
An Example of False Humility
Moses was very humble (Num 12:3). Humility starts with forgetting about yourself and focusing on God. What masquerades as humility can come from low self-esteem; even a lack of faith can pretend to be humility. What appeared as [obedient] humility was really disobedient lack of faith.
Ex 3:10 God: Go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.
Ex 3:11 Moses’ objection: “Who am I?”
Ex 3:12 God’s answer: I will surely be with you
Ex 3:13 What is His name? What should I tell them?
Ex 3:14 God’s answer: I AM WHO I AM
Ex 4:1-2 What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice?
Ex 4:3-9 God’s answer: You will do wondrous signs.
Ex 4:10 I have never been eloquent… for I am slow of speech and tongue.
Ex 4:11-12 God’s answer: Who gave man his mouth? … Now go! I will help you as you speak
Ex 4:13 Please, Lord, send someone else.
Ex 4:14-17 God became angry with Moses. And he sent Aaron to be his spokesman.
Righteousness vs. Self-Righteousness
None of us will have sinless righteousness in our experience until we get to heaven. But God commands us to strive for it: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16; Lev 11:45b; 19:2b). We are not to give up obeying God’s command giving the excuse that “I don’t want to be proud.” Yet we are not to trust in or be proud of our own righteousness (Php 3:3-9). What is the difference between being (relatively) righteous on earth, and being self-righteous?
Caleb and Joshua told the Israelites they could take the land of Canaan in Num 13:30. Were they proud?
The Ultimate in Humility: Jesus
It is easier for us to be humble when we see the example Jesus set of being humble in Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus voluntarily left His position in heaven, was born in a humble stable, and was raised by a poor family (Lk 2:24; Lev 12:6-8). He gave up His heavenly glory, and suffered for our sakes. Would you humble yourself even 1% as much as that for others?
Just as God the Father exalted Jesus to the highest place (Php 2:9-11), God exalts those who humble themselves. Jms 4:10; 1 Pet 5:6; Lk 14:8-10
Antidotes to Pride
Acknowledge God (Prov 3:5-6)
Abijah in 2 Chr 13:8-19
Asa and the Cushites in 2 Chr 14:11-13
Jehoshaphat in 2 Chr 20:5-24
The battle is the LORD’s. 1 Sam 17:47
Keep your eyes on the Lord
Don’t have haughty eyes (Ps 131:1), but have your eyes on God (Ps 141:8)
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. (anon.)
Know that humility is a source of strength
“When I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor 12:10. When we realize our weakness in our own power, that opens us up to being strong in God’s power. God gives grace to the humble (Jms 4:6).
Exalt God’s name, not your own
Delight in revering God’s name. Neh 1:11
Desire to be remembered by God, not men. Neh 13:14,22,31
“The cure of boasting is to boast in the Lord all the day long.” C.H. Spurgeon. Glory only in the cross and Christ. Gal 6:14; Rom 15:17
Other Points on Being Humble
The opposite of pride is not humility, but shame.
Remember that you have nothing except what is given to you by God.
Be a servant. If you constantly remember that your ultimate purpose is to be a servant of God, then it is easier to practice being a servant to others.
Lactantius (c.303-c.325 A.D.) wrote, “For humility is dear and lovely in the sight of God;” Epitome of the Divine Institutes ch.67 p.151
Pride is against thankfulness. It is hard to be thankful for something when you think you deserve it. Exactly what do you deserve anyway?
You do not have to claim rights you really have. For example, look at Paul’s apostleship. 1 Cor 9:1-12.
Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. Rom 12:10
Better to take the lower place and be exalted, than to take the higher place and be humiliated. God gives grace to the humble. Prov 25:6-7; Lk 14:8-11
Humility goes with compassion. 1 Pet 3:8
Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. 1 Peter 5:5
Eaten Up by Envy
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” (1 Cor 13:4 BSB)
“Envy is a coal that comes hissing hot from hell.” Philip James Bailey
Pride and envy can be thought of as the two sides of the coin of comparison. Pride is feeling good because you think you are better than someone else, and envy is the rotten feeling you have inside because you believe you are worse than someone else.
Would you envy bingo winners, if the prize were only worth a penny?
People don’t envy others for things they think don’t matter. People naturally tend to envy traits, possessions, and situations that they hold as idols, that they believe determine, in part or in whole, their self-worth, security, or significance. As a simple example: you envy that some other person has more money than you. You need money for when you retire, because you trust money, not God, as your source of security. You wish you had as much money as so-and-so.
Sometimes envy stays internal, but other times it rouses a sinner to action. What are some actions envy causes?
Loss of friendship, laughing at others’ loss
Boasting, bragging, and lying
Coldness and loss of affection
Gossip and backbiting
Sour grapes attitude
Theft
Vandalism
Physical abuse
Fighting
Even murder and suicide
In general, envious actions can be categorized as: building yourself up, putting the other down, trying to help yourself or harm the other, trying to remove that person, and trying to remove yourself from the situation.
Envy is serious
Envy is listed with murder and deceit (Rom 1:29), debauchery (Rom 13:13), and malice (Tt 3:3; 1 Tim 6:4).
It causes disorder and every evil practice. Jms 3:16
We are not to tolerate envy in our own lives or in the lives of those we disciple.
Envy/jealousy hurts others
Cain envied God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering. Gen 4:4-9
Joseph’s brothers resented his dreams. Gen 37:5-11; Acts 7:9
A fellow Israelite, out of envy, questioned Moses: “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” Ex 2:14
Miriam and Aaron envied Moses’ leadership. Num 12:1-15
Saul’s jealousy endangered David. 1 Sam 18:7-19:11
Jesus was handed over out of envy. Mt 27:18; Mk 15:10
The Jews envied Paul’s popularity. Acts 13:45; 17:5
Envy hurts the one envying
“Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.” Job 5:2 (BSB)
“A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Prov 14:30 (BSB)
Dathan and Abiram envied Moses. Num 16:1-33
Even godly people can fall prey to envy
Rachel was jealous of Leah having kids. Gen 30:1-2
Asaph envied the arrogant in Ps 73:3.
Some who preached the true gospel did so out of envy and rivalry. Php 1:15-18
Envy divides
Jealousy causes dissension. Romans 13:13
Envy causes divisions into groups. 1 Cor 3:3
Envy often causes divisions. Someone does not want someone else to lead, because they think they deserve that position as the better-qualified person. But they almost never say it in those terms. Rather, they find something, often petty, to try to disqualify the other person.
Envy causes bad feelings and loss of love
Who can withstand jealousy? Prov 27:4
In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, those who had worked all day were envious of the special grace given to those who had worked only an hour (Mt 20:9-16). We should be happy when others receive unmerited favor.
In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother was resentful and envious of the special grace given to the younger son in Lk 15:25-31
“If we love our neighbour we shall be so far from envying his welfare, or being displeased with it, that we shall share in it and rejoice in it.” Matthew Henry
Consider the destiny of sinners you envy
Asaph envied the arrogant, prosperous, healthy, strong, carefree sinners, until he saw their end. Ps 73
Do not envy a violent man… for the LORD detests the perverse. Prov 3:31-32
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.” Prov 23:17 (BSB)
The publicizing of envy
“But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.” (James 3:14 BSB)
Do not be conceited, envying others or gloating over them. Galatians 5:20-26; Mark 7:22; Romans 1:29b; 1 Corinthians 13:4; Titus 3:3; 1 Peter 2:1; Proverbs 3:31; 23:17; 24:1,17.
Some sins make the sinner want to hide them. But others make the sinner want to advertise them. And the sinner is often unaware of this!
Some people might even show envy in Paul’s presence. 2 Cor 12:20
How much envy is it OK to have?
Envy is natural in our sinful nature (Gal 5:21,26); the spirit God gives us tends toward envy, according to Jms 4:5. But God’s grace can overcome envy.
Ignatius (d. 107/116 A.D.) “Do not let envy find a dwelling place among you;” Ignatius’ Letter to the Romans ch.7 p.76
“The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the divine presence, worshipping God and communing with him all the day long, however long the day may seem.” C.H. Spurgeon.
Why Can’t We Covet?
The _________th commandment is not to covet anything of your neighbor’s. Coveting is basically envying with a target. You specifically want something that someone else has. Sometimes you want it such that they do not have it anymore, such as first place. Sometimes you want it also. Either way, your joy is robbed until you have it. But when you get it, you find it is empty, and, like a mirage, the joy is not really there.
But Our God is a Jealous God
It would be OK to be jealous when your spouse is in the embrace of another. Some states have laws where a jilted spouse can sue for alienation of affection. Likewise God calls Himself a Jealous God, and is jealous when Satan tries to steal the hearts of people away from Him.
You should be jealous if someone steals the hearts of your kids away from you. Paul was jealous that some tried to steal the Corinthian flock away from their pure and sincere devotion to Christ in 2 Cor 11:2-3.
Office Politics
At work do you ever see someone envying a peer, when the peer is either doing a better job, or more commonly, is getting extra praise when he did not do a better job? (We are back to bingo winners when there are no prizes again.)
Do you see people feel jealous when they think they might have been passed over for promotion? Has that situation ever happened to you? How did you react, and what was your witness?
At work if somebody is better than you at something, will you ever tell others that publicly?
When you “win” at the office, be gracious to the losers, expressing their value to the company. When you “lose” at the office, be a gracious loser, and support the winners.
Conclusion
Envy destroys. It destroys friendships, it destroys unity, and it destroys people. Christ wants us to live free of envy; it is so much healthier. Be jealous for God, but not for yourself.
Notes
References
More Gathered Gold
Haddon Robinson defined humility as not being a doormat, but rather having a healthy, appropriate view of yourself and others. (5/23/2012 radio show)
by Steven M. Morrison, PhD.