As people created in God’s own image, we must come to know and accept that jealousy and envy are part of our nature. But what are we to do with that? Well, we might take heart. God – who loves us so much that God became one of us in Jesus – understands and knows what it means to be jealous. God is not a God who expects us to not be who are. We are God’s own, and God’s jealousy (Exodus 20:5) reminds us to remain focused on God and not other things. We have a God who tells us upfront what to expect about God’s own nature. What a powerful model of self-disclosure for our own lives: to know and name those things that cause us to be jealous.
Maybe when we encounter situations that evoke our envy, we need help remembering who we are called and created to be. God intends for all people to live full lives that are gifted, abundant, and unique. We live in response to the immense gift of life and grace that we’ve been given through Jesus Christ.
This message is excerpted from “Envy” by Kristin Glass Perez in the March 2016 Gather magazine.
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