May 20, 2004

[shooraijin]

In Rev. Doc's absence, I will be posting his devotionals (written before he left for his trip) for him from 17-28 May. -- S.

Jealousy

Proverbs 27:4 "Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?"

Jealousy is a powerful emotion that each of us must deal with at some point in our lives. We have the power to resist it, or allow it to overpower us and harden our hearts.

There is an Indian fable of an eagle which could outfly another, and the other didn't like it. The latter saw an Indian brave one day, and said to him, "I wish you would bring down that eagle." The Indian replied that he would if he only had some feathers to put into the arrow. So the eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot, but didn't quite reach the rival eagle; it was flying too high. The envious eagle pulled out more feathers, and kept pulling them out until he lost so many that he couldn't fly, and then the Indian turned around and killed him. The moral taught in this fable: if you are jealous, the only person you can hurt is yourself.

Prayer: Ask God to help you to be content with what He has blessed you with and not allow jealousy to grip your heart in what He has given others.

"It is the eyes of other people that ruin us. If all but myself were blind, I should want neither a fine house nor fine furniture." ~Benjamin Franklin

[wiggins]

That's a really good prayer. It doesn't only ask for God's help in not being jealous, but also for God's help to help us be content with what He has blessed us with.

Once again, I am confused over the quote. Why the eyes of others that ruin us? Why is it that if all but myself were blind, I should want neither a fine house nor fine furniture? Is it because if everyone else is blind, they won't buy things that make you jealous of the owner(s) of that thing you want, and therefore you won't see those things and will be happy with what you have?

[shooraijin]

I interpret it as (and again, I'm not Rev Doc) saying that what we think others perceive about us that makes us want more and better things. If we had no one else looking at the material possessions we have, alleges Franklin, we'd have no reason to envy.

Of course, that's kind of hooey when you think about it. Self-confidence and the knowledge that your worth is not determined by your possessions overcomes the urge to envy and covet, and we know that our worth is determined by God and valued inestimably high.

Or, I could just plain have interpreted it wrong. You decide.

[true_noir_chloe]

I think you interpreted correctly, Shoo. I thought the same thing when I read it. ^_^