An Envy Overcome

Good Wednesday morning! Kind of easy-going on the e-mails today. Could the commercialism of the holidays be over at last? Nah, probably just waiting for the next holiday excuse to bombard my e-mail inbox. Come to think of it, there is a holiday on Monday already. Not that the holiday isn't deserved, but we might ask, "Are they getting off again? Already?!" 'They' is the group of folks getting the day off with pay of course, not that we know each of them personally. We tend to take a horizontal look and get right to that complaining mode with God. We see it in the Psalms and many other books of the Bible too. We see the neighbors getting not one new appliance, but an entire household of new appliances. (A true example from yesterday) We see the new car in the neighbor's driveway with the 'in-transit' sticker in the window. We see the group heading off to a cruise together. (Now wouldn't that be nice!) All of these can lead us into grumbling instead of praising God.

The first gut-reacting feeling may come, and we may not be able to do anything about it. You and I may feel a bit of shame over that feeling as we realize the conviction over coveting and envy. But, we have an opportunity after the Holy Spirit taps us on the proverbial shoulder to take the time to praise God for our neighbor's good news. Then we can pray that our dear neighbor realizes where that provision comes from and that they will give thanks to God. I saw the works (fridge, dishwasher, dryer, washer, etc.) going into my neighbor's house yesterday, and I was glad and praising God... yes, after I had the initial feeling of envy.

Maybe it comes from our earliest days when we carefully count the number of presents the sibling got and compare it with our own. We latch onto a myth about some man in a red suit bringing presents to all children, so that we don't have to face the fact that many children get no presents at all in this world. Or perhaps those are just symptoms of the fallen nature we are born with. The first feelings we get may come from the flesh that is faster to react than our new spiritual nature does. However, we do have the Spirit to help us overcome those initial feelings. We can have better thoughts as the Spirit with us gains the mastery over the flesh. We can discard that reaction and decide to praise God. We can take the next step and pray for all of our neighbors, that maybe, just maybe, all of them will receive that greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.

Praise the Lord!
Bucky