Last week I shared about being broken and letting the light of Christ shine. Today's thought is a further reflection on the same theme.
One common struggle among Christians is jealousy. It could be jealousy over a another's Gucci handbag, a better car, a more successful career or even "better" children. As I shared last week pastors are not immune to the same poison of jealousy. If another pastor has a bigger church, we may boil inside with jealousy.
Where does jealousy come from, and how can we overcome it? Jealousy exists because at the heart of hearts we want to be the greatest. We want to be the best--not Joe, not Jane, but me! Jealousy is comparative by nature and stems from our desire to be better...than others. How can we overcome it? God's answer is radical. He says, "Consider others better than yourself (Phil. 2:3)." We struggle with jealousy because we want to be better than others, but God says simply, "Consider others better than yourself." Another person carries a better handbag? Just consider her better: "She is better than I am." Another has a more successful career? Just consider him better than you: "He is smarter. He is a better man." Do not fight and try to make yourself look better. Surrender and acknowledge others as better. That is Jesus' answer.
God's call for us is not to build our name, our own empire, but to serve others, and to disappear. This is the paradox of Jesus' teaching: "Whoever wants to be great must be a servant of all." A servant has no empire of his/her own. He/she serves another. He/she works to make others great. God calls us to serve others, entirely expend ourselves for the sake of others. That person will be called great in God's sight.
When we can consider others better than ourselves, we will be free. We will no longer live to be something that we are not--to impress others, to look better to others than we are, or even just to think about what others think about us. We will be truly free and be what we are made to be.
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3 comments:
I personally find it a little bit offensive to read that a woman is only trespassed by jealousy when she sees a hang bag, and men are subject to jealousy when they eye a better career.
Believe it or not, women aren't ONLY interested in hang bags. They are interested in their careers, their spiritual lives (which can erupt jealousy), marriages, education, child-rearing, politics, art, and further personal growth.
I've been burdened by evidence of occasional misogynistic comments in the letters and in the sermons in the past.
Please try to be more considerate of the educated daughters in your reading audience and in your congregation.
I honestly see anything offensive in this reading. These are simply examples regardless jealousy is simply jealousy. Many people can be jealous for many different reasons. That fact of the matter is that Jesus wants us to consider others better than ourselves that was his message. I realize that I am jealous of certain women within my church because of they way they may look, or because of their friendships with others and I realize that this is something I will overcome. Ialso realize that it is dangerous to want to be like others. God made us who we are for a reason. Regardless we are all created in his image therefore we're his children and he loves us all the same. Alot of people hate on others glory but they don't know their glory. However I am working on my personal issue with jealousy and I know that God is going to get me through this this is only a phase and it will pass. Be A Blessing to others and Be Blessed!
I pray for grace to crucify my flesh daily
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