Confidence Over Jealousy
A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. (Proverbs 14:30)
On one occasion, self-help author and cultural critic Shannon Alder wrote about the difference between people who are jealous and bitter versus those who are confident and secure. She described those who are jealous and bitter as those who are the first to race to the top of mountains, while those who are confident and secure are those who do not see life as a competition; and as a result, they enjoy the journey as well as the people they meet along the way.
The point of the parable is to point out the way in which those who are jealous are driven by a motivation that comes from a negative place in their heart, one driven by comparison and competition that ultimately ends up in unhappiness, loneliness, and fear. Meanwhile those who are confident and secure find comfort in knowing that God is not waiting at every turn waving the checkered flag for one to win. The confident find rest, she says, knowing that the view of life is glorious wherever you stand.
If we’re constantly thinking we have to win, to be better than everyone else, and to make it to “the top” first, we’re going to miss out on so many things God has for us along the path He’s marked for us. If we are confident in the purpose He has given us, and the plan He has for our lives, then there’s no reason to rush. There’s no reason to live from a jealous place. There’s no reason to push ourselves to the point where we are unhappy and alone. Instead, let us live in the peace, freedom, and love that comes from having a relationship with Jesus Christ.
On one occasion, self-help author and cultural critic Shannon Alder wrote about the difference between people who are jealous and bitter versus those who are confident and secure. She described those who are jealous and bitter as those who are the first to race to the top of mountains, while those who are confident and secure are those who do not see life as a competition; and as a result, they enjoy the journey as well as the people they meet along the way.
The point of the parable is to point out the way in which those who are jealous are driven by a motivation that comes from a negative place in their heart, one driven by comparison and competition that ultimately ends up in unhappiness, loneliness, and fear. Meanwhile those who are confident and secure find comfort in knowing that God is not waiting at every turn waving the checkered flag for one to win. The confident find rest, she says, knowing that the view of life is glorious wherever you stand.
If we’re constantly thinking we have to win, to be better than everyone else, and to make it to “the top” first, we’re going to miss out on so many things God has for us along the path He’s marked for us. If we are confident in the purpose He has given us, and the plan He has for our lives, then there’s no reason to rush. There’s no reason to live from a jealous place. There’s no reason to push ourselves to the point where we are unhappy and alone. Instead, let us live in the peace, freedom, and love that comes from having a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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