Christian envy
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| Baptism of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
First, he remembers where all blessing, success, and opportunity come from. A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
Don’t seek an copy and established ministry. Seek a received ministry. We kill envy when we remember that whether we succeed or whether someone else does is ultimately given from the God who reigns from heaven. And how dare we assault his wisdom by murmuring about the opportunities and success of others.
Second, John remembers his role. He is the friend of the Bridegroom, the groomsman, not the Bridegroom himself. And the groomsmen rejoice greatly when they hear the voice of the Groom. Now most of us aren’t jockeying to replace the Bridegroom. But we sometimes act like we’re in a competition to be the best man. Which is why it’s so important to labor to rejoice greatly when we hear the Bridegroom’s voice in the voices of our fellow groomsmen. What are we saying about our joy in Christ if our reaction to his presence and hand on a fellow brother is to grumble, complain, or dismiss him?
Finally, John’s joy is complete when the Bridegroom arrives and surpasses him. Where Christ increases, John is content to decrease. But are we? Are we content to decrease, when Christ increases through the ministry of another? Do we even acknowledge that Christ is increasing in the ministry of others? Or do we attribute their success to some other factor: their ambition, their compromises, and in our worst moments, to the efforts of the devil?
The next time someone else is given an opportunity or a blessing that you wish was yours, how do you react? Do you murmur about it, or do you celebrate with them? Are you filled with gratitude, or carping rivalry? When it comes to the ministries of others, are you their biggest fan or their biggest critic? Are you consumed with envy, or is your joy made complete as you see the Bridegroom increase in the success of someone other than you?
May we not be consumed with envy or enslaved to the success of others, but instead may our joy be made complete when we hear the Bridegroom’s voice and see the Bridegroom increase in the gifts and talents and opportunities of our fellow groomsmen.
Second, John remembers his role. He is the friend of the Bridegroom, the groomsman, not the Bridegroom himself. And the groomsmen rejoice greatly when they hear the voice of the Groom. Now most of us aren’t jockeying to replace the Bridegroom. But we sometimes act like we’re in a competition to be the best man. Which is why it’s so important to labor to rejoice greatly when we hear the Bridegroom’s voice in the voices of our fellow groomsmen. What are we saying about our joy in Christ if our reaction to his presence and hand on a fellow brother is to grumble, complain, or dismiss him?
Finally, John’s joy is complete when the Bridegroom arrives and surpasses him. Where Christ increases, John is content to decrease. But are we? Are we content to decrease, when Christ increases through the ministry of another? Do we even acknowledge that Christ is increasing in the ministry of others? Or do we attribute their success to some other factor: their ambition, their compromises, and in our worst moments, to the efforts of the devil?
The next time someone else is given an opportunity or a blessing that you wish was yours, how do you react? Do you murmur about it, or do you celebrate with them? Are you filled with gratitude, or carping rivalry? When it comes to the ministries of others, are you their biggest fan or their biggest critic? Are you consumed with envy, or is your joy made complete as you see the Bridegroom increase in the success of someone other than you?
May we not be consumed with envy or enslaved to the success of others, but instead may our joy be made complete when we hear the Bridegroom’s voice and see the Bridegroom increase in the gifts and talents and opportunities of our fellow groomsmen.
