Genesis 37:11
“And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.”
One of the most incredible men in the Scriptures is Joseph. He faced more adversity than most, yet he still loved the LORD and never gave up hope. One of the adversities he faced was the hatred his brothers had for him. The verse above says that they “envied him.” This envy was a result of their hatred. Joseph’s brethren saw that their father loved him more than they, and they hated him because of it. This hatred and envy eventually led to them selling him as a slave in hopes that they would never see him again. Of course, we know that this was all God’s hand working to save that region of the world from a humanitarian disaster, but that certainly didn’t make it any easier for Joseph to deal with their envy.
The English word “envy” is a derivative from the Latin word, “invideo” which means, to see against. In other words, envy is having images of doing something evil against someone to get what they have. This is why Joseph’s brethren had images of killing him. Their hatred stirred up images in their mind that led to their evil actions. You are in need of serious help when envy sets in and you start imagining what you should do to someone to get what they have.
Envy is a reflection of the heart. Envy is the result of covetousness. You would never become envious of anyone if you didn’t want what they had. When you envy a person with leadership, it is because you want their position. When you envy a person who has a better house, car or more possessions than you, it is only a result of you wanting what they have. 1 Corinthians 13:4 teaches us that the only reason you envy anyone is because you don’t love them in the right way. Envy is truly a revelation of your carnality. With envy being so consuming, how can an individual deal with it?
First, learn to be content with what you have. Paul said in Philippians 4:11, “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” You will never envy someone if you are content with what God has given you. When you become envious, you are questioning God’s sovereignty in your life. You are telling God that you know better than He as to what you need. If you’re content with what you have, you will never envy what others have.
Second, acquire an earning mentality. Romans 13:13 shows us that envy is a result of a dishonest lifestyle. In other words, envy wants everything given to them without earning it. If you change your mindset by deciding that you will earn everything you get, you will have a great probability of not becoming envious.
Third, keep your eyes on the LORD. Proverbs 23:17 shows us that the antidote to envy is living “in the fear of the LORD.” When you keep your eyes on the LORD, out of a healthy respect for Him, you will never come to the point where you want what others have. When you have your eyes on the LORD, you will realize you have everything you need because you have Him. If you have the LORD, you should not want anything else because He satisfies your every need.
Do you find yourself wanting what another has? Friend, if you don’t deal with it early, it will lead to envy. God knows your name and where you live, and when He knows you need something or should be promoted, He knows where to find you to do it. In the meantime, keep your eyes on Him and serve others.