"It has been said that Envy is the one deadly sin to which no one readily confesses. It seems to be the nastiest, the most grim, the meanest. Sneering, sly, vicious. The face of Envy is never lovely. It is never even faintly pleasant. Its expression crosses our faces in a split second. 'Few are able to suppress in themselves a secret satisfaction at the misfortune of their friends,' said La Rochefoucauld, and few of us are able to suppress a secret envy at someone else's good fortune, or even at someone else's good joke. If we confessed each day how often we had been envious during it, we would be on our knees longer than for any other sin.
Although all the deadly sins are morbid and self-destroying, Angus Wilson has said, most of the others provide at least some gratification in their early stages. But there in no gratification for Envy, nothing it can ever enjoy. Its appetite never ceases, yet its only satisfaction is endless self-torment. 'It has the ugliness of a trapped rat that has gnawed its own feet in its efforts to escape.'"
Henry Fairlie, The Seven Deadly Sins for Today, 61.
Yesterday I began my sermon on 1 Corinthians 12: 14-31 with an explanation of envy. I believe we need to explain it well, because it is so much part of our culture that we do not recognize it. I think historians will tell that this cultural time period was marked by envy. It could very well be our undoing as a culture.
So what does envy look like today?
In our culture it takes the form of rampant consumerism. We are so marketed to that we do not know anything different. While this marketing promotes other deadly sins such as gluttony and lust, it appeals to our base nature desire more. Remember these slogans:
"You deserve a break today." "Be all you can be." "Because you are worth it." "When you only deserve the best."
These just come off the top of my head. How many more are out there?! At its heart, each slogan appeals to our most base nature. We do deserve better. It is particularly clear we deserve better when we see others enjoying, flaunting, having that which we want. Not so secretly, the thought crosses our minds that those who have what we want do not deserve it.
Envy now rules.
Has not our entire political discussion engaged and promoted envy? President Obama won reelection in large part by pounding this theme. The rich do not deserve what they have. They only got what they have by taking it from the poor. The subtle and unstated claim here is that they should be punished and you should be rewarded because you deserve more. Is this not how to make a strong middle class?
Envy is our cultural marker.
Why can we not be happy with someone else's success? Is it not possible for everyone to succeed, even though some do so to greater measure than others? Do not those who succeed in greater measure employ those of us who need jobs?
When envy rules, these questions do not matter. All that matters is a growing dislike of those with what we want and "deserve" and a gnawing desire for something that will satisfy our soul. This path will not breed a happy and strong lower class, middle class, or upper class. It breeds anger, resentment, and ever deepening sin.
These observations have obvious implications for the Christian life. We must recognize our envy so we can repent and find our rest in relationship with God! Yet, the fingers of sin go deeper than mere individual sin.
Our churches are often marked by an incredible spirit of envy. We want the gifts and talents of others. We want to be recognized like they are. We are just as smart, just as spiritual, just as talented as others. Why do people not recognize us?
How do we deal with this? It depends if we are an aggressive person or a passive person.
If we are aggressive, we try to move and manipulate within the church so people recognize us. We tear down those we envy. It might not be a direct attack, but we withhold encouragement and affirmation. We master being a fault finder instead of being an encourager.
If we are passive, we give up trying. We know we do not have the talent of others, though we wish we did, so we refuse to use the gifts we do have to the full measure possible. As a result, we do not grow. Like a stunted plant, we lack health and vitality because the Spirit does not flow through the gifts we do have and we should use to benefit others. (See the passage in 1 Corinthians 12 for how Paul describes this condition)
Just like our culture at large, envy rules. "Its appetite never ceases, yet its only satisfaction is endless self-torment."
The only way off this carousel of sin is repentance and faith. We were created to have our satisfaction and joy from our relationship with Jesus. Ask the Spirit to point out where envy rules in your life and in the church. Ask for grace to repent and find satisfaction in Jesus' love for you. Meet with other gospel-centered believers for encouragement as you seek to lessen the rule of envy in your life. Most importantly, when the Spirit points out your envy for things, power, or gifts, repent and believe the gospel!
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