This is post 4 of the 4 part series on envy. Click here for part one, two, and three.
A Parable on Envy
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard speaks to our envy:
And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat” (Mt 20:9-12).
Like the laborers in the vineyard, envy makes us feel like we’ve been treated unjustly. Those that have worked all day are paid the same as those who just arrived. How is this fair? Well, we should question our definition of “fairness” because the Christian life isn’t a job. We don’t clock in hours to receive salvation.[1] Like corpses embalmed in wickedness, we were dead in our sin. In vehement opposition to God, we possessed no desire to change; in shackles of selfishness, we had no power to.
Yet, as the landowner who freely employed the laborers, God freely saved us. He didn’t scan our timesheets and then deem us worthy of his Son’s sacrifice. He found us as those who could never meet the criteria. Eternally undeserving, he looked on us in love and generously gave all he had. Now, anything better than an eternity of God’s wrath is a gift.
But there’s more. The gospel is not simply that we don’t receive wrath, but that we do receive grace. The undeserved nature of grace means God can give in whatever measure he decides. When envy rises in our hearts, God questions us as the master questioned his laborers, “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Mt 20:15). He asks us, “Why is my generosity leading to envy when it should lead to gratitude?”
God’s Immeasurable Goodness
We must remember that God’s favor to others doesn’t diminish his favor to us. His abundance is unquantifiable, for “he owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Ps 50:10). Matthew Henry summarizes this well:
There is great proneness in us to think that we have too little, and others too much of the tokens of God’s favor; and that we do too much, and others too little in the work of God. But if God gives grace to others, it is kindness to them, and no injustice to us.[2]
If we gaze at Christ crucified, buried, and risen for our sake, we must conclude that all is overwhelming grace. Any gift is too much.
Envy Doesn’t Have the Last Word
In light of God’s grace, we wage war against envy. To do so, we remember that Christ died for our envy. He stood in our stead specifically. He was crucified for our insecurity, disdain, rivalry, belittling, slander, hatred, and all other sins that accompany envy. Jesus died for our failure to find our identity in him, our disbelief in his love, and our lack of zeal. He isn’t surprised by our envy—it’s why he went to the cross. There, envy was put to death. The power of envy is strong and its grip tight, but it does not have the final word.
Practically, then, in the moment of temptation, we remind ourselves of this truth: Christ rose and the Holy Spirit indwells us that we may overcome envy, however long and agonizing the process may be, and one day the sinister effects of envy will be eradicated forever. Next, we actively encourage others. If we see someone’s beauty, talent, or achievement, we should tell them. In this way, we are trusting that another’s good is not at odds with ours. We are trusting that God’s goodness is endless and he dispenses it wisely.
[1]Thanks to Leah Emory for this illustration a couple years ago.
[2]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), 937.
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