Still on envy, but focusing more on our desire to have what other’s have.  Their possessions; their talents, their relationships, their everything. But Paul says love does not envy.

You know the story of the Prodigal Son.  Father has two boys.  One of the sons, decides he wants all of his inheritance before his father dies.  He takes the money and goes off to live a wild life.  The money runs out and the boy ends up working in a pig pen.  Eventually, he realizes that he would be better of as a slave in his father’s house than living the life he is living.

He heads home. The father sees him and runs to him.  The boy says he is sorry, but the father has already forgiven him.  He is putting good cloths on him, a ring and planning a party. He is so happy to have the son he thought was lost back home.

Let’s look at the other son.

^{Luke 15:25} Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁶ And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

²⁷ And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

²⁸ And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

²⁹ And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

³⁰ But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

³¹ And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

³² It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The elder son can not love the father or the brother.  Envy acts as a fertilizer for anger.  He can not love his brother because he is filled with so much rage.

Another example of envy in the bible and how it strips people of love is Cain and Able.  Take a look at Genesis 4.  Major sibling rivalry going on there.  Very little love.

Envy is the result of your taking your eye off the blessings God has given you, and loosing focus of His purpose for your life.   Envy centers your thoughts on self and not on others.  Love dies when our focus is on ourselves.

We see what Jesus had to say in a specific instance of envy between Peter and John.

^{John 21:18} Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

¹⁹ This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

²⁰ Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

²¹ Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

²² Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

²³ Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

Isn’t that really the answer to envy.  What is that to you?  Jesus is telling Peter what he will face in the future and Peter’s focus goes to what will John face.  Does it matter?

The path Christ laid out for me.  God designed me in the womb; God has a purpose for my life.  Just as Peter and John walked different paths and served different roles in the early church.  The church did not need two Peters or two Johns.  And the body of Christ needs me and it needs you to fill the roles God plans for us.  If God choses for another member of the church to have more talent, or money, or family, what is it to you.

Don’t let envy steal your love for others.  Follow Jesus.