A Practical Walk

I had prepared a meal for a group of people. Another lady had prepared the desserts. After we’d finished eating, she pulled out her beautiful tray and began arranging a variety of home-baked goods on it. Everyone “oohed” and “ahhed” as she set it out. Immediately I felt a twinge inside me.

I had prepared the main meal, but everyone was making a big deal over her desserts. What about what I had made?

I recognized what was going down in my heart. It was jealousy. Jealousy wasn’t new to me, I’ve struggled against it for years.

While it’s still a struggle for me, I have seen a marked improvement in it, and I think one of the reasons, is by recognizing it for what it is: sin.

It stood out to me when I saw jealousy being in the same line up of sins with adultery, idolatry, sorcery, murder…yes murder. (Gal. 5:19-21). This is serious.

It may seem silly, but I started to visualize jealousy as an ugly cancerous tumor growing on me. I tried to intentionally not call it “my” jealousy. You see, when someone has a tumor cut off, they don’t usually mourn over it like they would if a foot or hand had to be amputated. We think of a cancerous tumor more as a thing that grows on us and we want it off asap. We don’t really consider it a member of our body, as a part of us.

I am a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). I am a part of Christ’s body (1 Cor. 12:27). Jealousy is not supposed to be a part of me, or a part of my identity. When I see jealousy in me, I should try to shake it off as quickly as possible, like I’d do if I noticed a venomous snake crawling up my back!

So when I saw this spark of jealousy igniting in me with my dessert-friend mentioned above, I envisioned how this little spark could grow into a forest fire. I realized it could not only destroy my relationship with her, but it could affect the unity in the body of Christ, and spread to others! Jealousy isn’t a little issue, it’s a big deal.

That “silly” little dessert event was several years ago. Since that time, I’ve grown closer to her, and been so encouraged and helped by our friendship. I’m so very, very grateful that the Holy Spirit showed me my trivial jealousy problem.