The Danger of Jealousy

“For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.” 2 Corinthians 12:20

Author Joseph Epstein tells a joke that illustrates envy’s malicious and impotent character well:

Once, there was an Englishwoman, a Frenchman, and a Russian:
Each [was] given a single wish by one of those genies whose almost relentless habit is to pop out of bottles. The Englishwoman says that a friend of hers has a cottage in the Cotswolds, and that she would like a similar cottage, with the addition of two extra bedrooms and a second bath and a brook running in front of it.

The Frenchman says that his best friend has a beautiful blonde mistress, and he would like such a mistress himself, but a redhead instead of a blonde and with longer legs and a bit more in the way of culture and chic.

The Russian, when asked what he would like, tells of a neighbor who has a cow that gives a vast quantity of the richest milk, which yields the heaviest cream and the purest butter. ‘I want dat cow,’ the Russian tells the genie, ‘dead.’

Jealousy is a sin, and it can inflame other sins.

Confess any jealous thoughts to the Lord and seek to be thankful for all that is in your life.

“O! Beware, my lord of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” – William Shakespeare

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19-21