Envy by W. M. Healey

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 11, 1878

Envy.

By W. M. Healey

TEXT: Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Prov. 27 : 4.

There are few persons who know the amount of envy in their hearts, or the extent of its evil influence upon the actions of their lives. Wrath is cruel, and the angry person is perfectly outrageous in his course, but envy is worse than all.

It was this feeling on the part of the chief priests, that caused them to reject Christ; and this was so plain that Pilate, the Roman Governor, could easily discern their motives. Mark 15 : 10. Joseph's brethren tried to destroy him out of envy. Gen. 37 : 11 ; Acts 7 : 9. The people rebelled against Moses out of envy. Ps. 106 : 16. The Jews were envious of Paul and Silas, and took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company and set the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. Acts 17 : 5. Verse 4 tells us why they envied Paul and Silas, because some of them (Jews), and a great multitude of Greeks, and many of the chief women, believed what the apostles were teaching, associated with them and asked them for counsel. And these would-be leaders and instructors, who had been looked up to in the past, became unnoticed. If Paul and Silas had failed to make any converts, they might have gone on preaching without being disturbed. It is quite likely they would have been pitied, and these men would have treated them as some poor deceived fellows who were perhaps a little crazy. But their arguments were unanswerable, and drawn from the very standard of authority which their assailants themselves acknowledged.

Paul reasoned from the Scriptures, and showed their fulfillment in pointing out Jesus as the very Christ. Verses 2 and 3. Now these wicked men get together the very class of persons adapted to their work, lewd fellows, and the baser sort at that, the very worst characters they could find. Ordinarily they would not be found associating with such people, but now their envy is aroused and they forget all else. They pretend they are trying to do good; these men must be corrected; but at heart they were prompted by envy and wounded pride.

The same spirit lurks in the hearts of men to-day. If a man is successful in any pursuit he is sure to arouse the envy of others. How often we hear the tradesman speak lightly of another's work; the salesman of another's goods. The professional man shrugs his shoulders, and in a very confidential manner, gives you a hint that the knowledge and ability of his fellow professor is not as great as is supposed. We may expect such things from men who seek only this life; but it is when we see these feelings among the people of God that our hearts are grieved. The same thing is being acted over to-day that took place in Paul's case. Many refuse truth only because of pride, which makes them envious. This feeling of envy is a wicked one, but more or less common to the natural heart. You may say, That does not apply to me, for I have no feelings of that kind; I obey the words of Paul, and "weep with them that weep." Many persons sympathize with another when in trouble, who do not obey the first part of the injunction, to "rejoice with them that do rejoice." Rom. 12 : 15. When some blessing falls upon another, and we do not receive it, how natural to our depraved hearts is the feeling of envy. How few live, "In honor preferring one another?"

Often a brother or sister is found reproving others for their course; and who seem to be so anxious about them, that one would think they really meant to do them good; but could you examine their hearts, you would find them prompted by the spirit of envy. How seldom we see an erring one reproved in the right spirit. The reprover may be actuated from pride, which perhaps is wounded because of the reproach brought upon the church or cause of which the reprover is a representative.

I call to mind the case of a brother who felt that he must reprove another. He appeared so earnest to do him good that his action seemed to come from a pure motive; but he was so much exercised over that brother's case that he went and told his fault all through the neighborhood. How much did he expect to benefit the erring one by that course? The mother often punishes her child with never a thought for its good; her feelings have been aroused by some disobedient act, and the punishment is only revenge, to gratify her injured pride.

Envy is the spirit that so often affects the church choir and congregational singing, makes unpleasant the family circle, destroys the pleasure of the social gathering, in fact disturbs the entire neighborhood and gets the whole city in an uproar. We may not expect the world to reform upon this, but, my dear brother and sister in Christ, let us overcome, from the aged down to the little child, and be careful that our object be to do others good and not to gratify envy. Further, remember it is this same feeling of pride that often causes us to reject a testimony and reproof.

"Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." James 4 : 5. How few know their own hearts, but God has promised to give "more grace." Let us strive for it.

W. M. Healey.