[Love] does not envy… – 1 Corinthians 13:4b
Yesterday we read the apostle Paul’s initial thoughts on what Love is. Today we examine more of this “Portrait of Love” that Paul continues painting; negative things that are absent because of love. He shifts his attention to a destructive emotion that love has no part of:
Envy.
Envy can be very subtle. It creeps up on us when we least expect it, like when we see another person getting the promotion we thought we deserved, or the credit someone else receives through our own efforts, or the blessing someone else gets for no apparent reason. Envy whispers to us, “You deserve what they have – their gain is your loss” and we become resentful. But Scripture shows another side of envy and its devastating consequences: envy drove Cain to murder Abel (Genesis 4:3-8); it fueled the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers (Genesis 37:11, 28); and envy motivated the religious leaders to hand Jesus over to Pilate to be put to death (Matthew 27:18).
Envy is not a trivial sin; it is a root of deep harm, often lying beneath acts of violence and division. Some of us might recall the destructive envy of King Saul toward David (1 Samuel 18:7-9) – that day when Saul and David returned from battle and the people lined the streets while singing David’s praises. Scripture tells us, “And Saul eyed David from that day on” (v.9).
And yet love not only keeps its distance from envy, but it rejoices in another’s good. I think of Saul’s son, Jonathan, rejoicing in David’s success (1 Samuel 18:1-4). Even though Jonathan was technically the heir to the throne, he was genuinely joyful that David was appointed by God to be Israel’s next king. He wasn’t hurt or resentful; he didn’t see David’s gain as his loss. No, the Bible tells us that “Jonathan was knit to the soul of David… he loved David as he loved his own soul” (v.1).
There is no place in love for jealousy or envy. There was no envy in Jesus’ heart, and there should be no envy in ours. True love celebrates the blessings of others without comparison or resentment. When we love like Christ, we can rejoice with those who rejoice, knowing that God’s goodness toward someone else doesn’t diminish His love for us.
Let’s ask Him to root out any envy we may have and replace it with joy, humility, and a heart that reflects Jesus’ selfless love.
Former Blackout Artist 