By DANNY MINTON

I once heard the fable of an eagle who was envious of another larger eagle who could fly much higher than he could. The only way to be the best eagle again was to have the larger eagle killed. So, one day, the eagle went to a bow hunter and showed him the grand prize he could have if he shot down the eagle flying so high. The hunter agreed but needed a feather for his arrow. The eagle obliged, giving him one of his feathers. The hunter shot an arrow that sailed high and straight but fell short since the eagle was so high. The eagle again gave him a feather to give it another try. Again, he failed. This scenario continued until the eagle had no more feathers to provide, and now he couldn’t fly. When the hunter saw the dilemma, he saw his prize and turned and shot the eagle sitting beside him. The story’s moral was when you envy, the only person you hurt is yourself.

Love does not envy. Envy goes beyond simple jealousy. It is the desire to have what someone else has, no matter the cost. King David did this when he lusted after Bathsheba and then had her husband killed to cover his sin and gain his prize. Cain did this when he killed Abel. Ahab did this when he had Naboth killed to obtain Naboth’s vineyard for his wife.

The opposite of envy is to be content. Contentment means that I can be happy with what I have no matter what everyone else around me has in their life. I don’t have to have a house as big as yours. I can drive an older car while you’re in a newer one. I will not wish you harm because you are better off than me. I will not wish ill of you because of your success. Love means you want the best for others. You want them to succeed. You want them to be happy.

Two men were once stranded on a desert island. To co-exist, they divided the island in half, and they lived separately. The two men knew their only hope was to pray. On the first day, they prayed for food. The next morning one man had an abundance of food, and the other had only enough to sustain his life. The next day they prayed for shelter. The man with all the food was given a grand place to live, while the other lived under a tree. After a week, the first man prayed for a wife, which was granted to him. The other man remained alone on barren soil with little shelter. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship to come by and take him and his wife away from the island. The next day the ship arrived, and the man and wife boarded the ship and decided to leave the other man behind.

As the ship sailed, a voice came from heaven, “Where is your shipmate from the island?” The man said he did not deserve to be saved, which was evident by none of his prayers being answered. “On the contrary,” the voice came back, “while you asked for food, shelter, and a wife, he prayed that all your prayers would be answered. His prayers gave you what you had, not yours.”

Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (NASB)

The trap of envy snares us out of a life of happiness and into one where our desires of the things of the world outweigh what God has for us. Envy turns our focus on what we do not have and blinds us to the gifts that God has given us. If we are not careful, we view our blessings from God to be inferior to what we want Him to provide us with. I want to retell a story from a writing last year. I do so because it reminds us to take the time to see what we have and, in turn, be thankful that God has blessed us.

She sat at her desk trying to figure out how to pay all her bills when she heard a knock on the door, and standing in the rain were two small children, a boy, and a girl. “Any aluminum cans, lady?” She invited the children out of the rain, “Would you like some cookies and hot cocoa?” The children anxiously agreed and sat at the table while she placed a plate of cookies and a cup of cocoa in front of each of them. After a couple of sips of hot cocoa, the boy quietly whispered to his sister, “Look, Jill, cups and saucers that match. She must be rich.” The children finished, and after the lady handed them some cans, they left with her quietly closing the door behind them. She stood at the door and looked down at two muddy footprints on the floor as she turned back to her desk. She started to clean them up but decided not to for a while. She would leave them there until tomorrow. They would remind her that she was rich; after all, she had cups and saucers that matched.

Jesus teaches us not to be envious of others. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB) Enjoy what you have and be happy for the blessings of others. Love does not envy means we want the best for those we love and would do nothing to cause harm.

Now, take time today to look around and count your blessings, thanking God for what He has given you. Don’t let Satan get a foothold in your life by whispering in your ear, “You should want more. You don’t have enough. Look how much better off others are than you.” Listen instead to the words of Christ and find contentment in serving God. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ