Jealousy
by David Lazarus

Are you jealous of others?
Do you fell pain in your heart when you see someone else getting blessed?
Does it bother you when someone else gets an expensive new car, and yours is always in the garage?
Or someone gets a great job with high pay and you only get bills and minus in the bank?
Does it bother you when you see God’s hand on another congregation who are growing, but you fell like you are small and insignificant?
 
These are a few signs of jealousy.
A hidden, often unmentioned, but dangerous sin.
 
Gen. 4:3-8
Jealousy motive for first murder.
 
Cain and Abel grew up in world where not a lot of sin.
Life was simple. Not a lot of pressure or temptations.
I am sure they loved each other and helped each other and lived in relative harmony.
 
Even in this safe environment, jealousy grew up in Cain’s heart.
Cain didn’t get the acknowledgement that Able got.
 
In spite of God’s explanation Cain allowed jealous to grow in his heart.
He finally even killed Abel because of his great anger.
 
You may never kill someone, but understand, if we allow jealousy to stay in our hearts, it will cause us to become angry, and we will hurt others.
 
We will speak against them.
We will become negative towards others.
Jealousy will control our behavior.
 
Prov. 27:4
Jealousy will rule our lives.
 
 
Story of Joseph is another example of dangers of jealousy.
 
Joseph Baal Halomot and his brothers became jealous.
Gen. 37:11
Even though he was the youngest, the best loved by the father Jacob, they wanted to kill him.
 
Jealousy is the enemy of integrity.
 
Saul and David. Saul loved David. As David gained success, Saul’s jealousy burned in his heart and became angry.
 
I Sam. 18:8
 
That which is good becomes “evil in your eyes.”
Jealousy deceives us and causes us to hate what is good just because we don’t have it.
 
Men -  want honor and status.
It is hard for a man when someone else gets the credit.
 
Often men will work hard simply to get approval from others.
Men find worth in their work.
 
Jealousy Women
 
Gen. 30: 1 Remember story of Leah and Rachel
 
Rachel jealous of Leah because she doesn’t have what she has.
Women want what other women have.
Clothing, family, beauty.
Every culture this is true of women.
 
Jealousy of leaders
 
Mt. 27:17-18
 
‘Because of jealousy” Pilate knew that because of jealousy they would choose to kill Yeshua even though Bar Aba was an evil person.
 
They were jealous of Yeshua’s leadership
 
Jealousy will cause us to try and destroy our leaders.
The very ones who could help us.
 
Jealousy is dangerous.
Consequences. Not only for the people we hurt because of jealousy, but for ourselves. We hurt ourselves.
 
Anger, isolation, bitterness of soul.
 
Remember story of Haman and Mordechai.
The things that Haman wanted to do to Mordechai because of his jealousy were the very things that happened to himself.
He wanted to hang Mordechai on a pole, and he hung in the end.
All the honor he wanted for himself, in the end went to Mordechai.
 
Our jealousy and anger come back on our own heads.
 
Understand its roots in order deal with it.
 
1. Low self esteem
 
When we don’t accept who we are
We feel God loves others more.
Threatened when others are blessed.
 
In kingdom of God our value is not based on what we do.
Our value is based on God’s love for us in Yeshua.
 
We are all created uniquely by God
No reason to be jealous of others.
If we could accept ourselves for who we are in Yeshua we would not be jealous of others.
 
2. Too high opinion of ourselves
 
James 3:14-18
 
Vs 14 If we think that we are better than others we will always be in competition.
We will be jealous every time someone does better or more than us.
 
Humility is a proper evaluation of ourselves.
Quiet acceptance of who we are as God made us to be.
 
No need to be jealous of others.
 
 
Look at rest of verses here:
 
Vs 16 “Envy and self seeking every evil thing is there”
 
Compares wisdom from above and below
 
Vs 17 “First pure” Doesn’t allow jealousy to enter heart.
 
“Peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, mercy….”
Opposite of jealousy.
Living in unity with people.
Love neighbor as yourself.
 
Price we pay for jealousy is loneliness.
 
Vs 18 Blessing we receive for living in unity with others is fruitfulness

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