Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The green eyed monster!!!

I don't think I knew this...if I did I certainly had forgotten...but...."green eyed monster" was actually a phrase coined by Shakespeare in his plays, The Merchant of Venice and Othello.
So, there...if you didn't know that already...
then, you've learned something today!!!


Envy...jealousy...I find a lot of differing opinions as to whether they are one and the same. I asked several people and the one answer I got that I really liked....was that envy is much worse. The person said that envy is more to the point of coveting and that jealousy was more along the lines of little kids fighting over a toy that one had and the other wanted.


Exodus 20:17 (NLT)
“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”


"Envy is counting the other fellows blessings
instead of your own"

and.....

"The grass may look greener on the other side,
but it still has to be mowed!!"


Meaning....it might look better...sound better....talk better...but...looks can be deceiving....and there are problems "on the other side", too!!!
So many times we look at what other people have and we are so envious...jealous...of them. Maybe they have more money, drive a nicer car, live in a bigger house, have a better job, look better, dress better, built better...and the list could go on and on. I've learned, the older I've gotten...that the more we have, the more we have to take care of, and the more problems all the stuff causes!!! All of us are blessed...I don't care who we are, or how bad we think we have it...we can all find something in our life to be grateful for. Sometimes we think that somebody else has it so much easier then we do...but "walk a mile in my shoes" carries a lot of meaning in this situation.

Galatians 5:26 (NLT)

Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Along with all lives being blessed...all have problems, too....but....we truly need to try to just be happy in whatever situation we're in...here's what Paul had to say:

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

And, lastly...concerning envy and jealousy...and, this goes along with "grass is greener"....we should never, as Christians, envy the lives that the non-Christian is living. When I walked Monday morning, I thought about this blog on envy and about what to write....one thing that came to mind was this little quote of my own:

"Don't be jealous...but be zealous"

So...and it has to be a God-thing...here is a verse I found researching scripture:

Proverbs 23:17 (NKJV)

Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.

A synonym for "zeal" is "passion". Let's not waste our time and energy on being envious of others...our zeal...or our passion...should be for Jesus...and more of Him. You know what???.....if we keep ourselves focused on Him...we won't have the time to be envious of anybody else!!

In His Love...and with mine!!!

2 comments:

  1. you speak the truth sister! :-)
    and made some great points.
    sometimes I've wished for something or hoped for something that never happened, and didn't understand it at first. Since I've got older, I can understand why and also can be happy that some of them never did!
    kinda like the song, "I thank God, for unanswered prayers". as you said, the grass ISN'T always greener on the other side, although we sometimes think it is. We might think someone has it made, (money, nice home, etc) and they could be miserable or living with "monsters" in their life, you just never know.
    so me must not be jealous or envious of others, but be thankful for what we've been blessed with.
    great post!
    love ya

    ReplyDelete
  2. I did learn something new about the green eyed monster! But that is true. the grass isn't always greener!

    ReplyDelete

Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16:24