Gene writes in to ask, Pastor John, how do I handle the envy and jealousy that are eating

away at me?

So envy and jealousy are two distinct topics here on the table, perhaps we can break this

into two podcasts and address jealousy next time.

So Pastor John, start with envy, what would you say to Gene?

It's not wrong to want something that you don't have, we usually think of envy that way,

I want that, something that that person has.

In fact, we wouldn't even pray if we didn't want things we didn't have, that's what prayer

is.

In fact, I would say all of life is either Thanksgiving for what God has given us or aspiration

for something that might be good for us.

So the question is, what makes envy evil?

What makes the wanting of something evil?

Proverbs 37, fret not yourself because of evil doers, be not envious of wrongdoers.

It seems like people were looking at those who were prospering in their wrongdoing,

they had things and they were feeling envious of it.

Proverbs 14, a tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.

Or Matthew 27, for he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Jesus up.

So envy is a horrible thing, it resulted in the killing of the Son of God.

That was a motive behind the destruction of Jesus or Romans 1, since they did not approve

to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a debased mind.

They were filled with envy, murder, strife, same thing in 1 Peter 2, 1, put away malice

...