“And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked” (1 Corinthians 12:23-24).
Last Thursday Anita and I hosted our family for Thanksgiving. We all ate well, but we pretty much ignored everyone but the youngest grandchildren. We gave special favor and assistance to them, because they can’t take care of themselves. We gave them special honor and attention.
That’s what Paul is talking about in the body. We give special honor and favor to those who can’t take care of themselves. That would include the children in our church, the aged in our church, and the spiritually immature. When someone in the church becomes vulnerable due to an attack, a death, a failure, or anything else that makes them weak, those members of the body that are stronger need to step up to the plate.
Jealousy and competitiveness in the church just doesn’t lend itself to spiritual gifts. Those of us who feel better than another must use those strengths to strengthen the weaker. Strengthening the weaker brother/sister strengthens the whole body. The church of Jesus Christ just looks better all around.
What part of the body at New Hope has a need? Go after that need and watch your spiritual gifts come alive!
Tags: church, jealousy, service, spiritual gifts
In his book The Unchained Soul, Calvin Miller describes his own struggle with envy and pride. When he was pastoring, he and another church member listed their houses for sale at about the same time. It took Miller’s house a year to sell, while the other house sold in 3 days. When people asked the other man why his house sold so quickly, he always replied, “I just put that house in the hands of God, and the Lord sold it in 3 days.”
Miller confessed that every time he heard the man say that, he said to God, “Hey, God, what have You got against me?” He admitted to reacting defensively to this man’s boast about his 3-day sale. Miller would remind God of the depth of his own spirituality, compared with the shallowness of the other man’s. After all, he had held countless Bible studies in his home and led many people to the Lord, while the other man had done neither.
Comparing ourselves to others always gets us in trouble. Comparing ourselves to Jesus always humbles us. John 21:21 recounts: “Peter, seeing [John], said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” We each must give account for our own actions, not anyone else’s.
Tags: jealousy, temptation
‘Schadenfruede’ is a German word that, thankfully, has no English equivalent. It means: joy at the suffering of another. Journalist and author Henrie Fairlie called this “The Revenge of Failure”. He claimed that taking pleasure in a gifted person’s demise is the disease of our time. If we cannot paint well or write well – or preach well – then we take great pleasure when others, who do these things well, fail. The gossip column and the grocery store tabloid have become the symbols of our envious age.
We Christians must separate ourselves from this worldly practice. We should rejoice when our brother/sister rejoices and weep when our brother/sister weeps. Perhaps this is called “bearing one another’s burdens”.
Tags: jealousy, vengeance
Tales of envy are common in the Bible. Rachel envied Leah because she bore children (Gen. 30:1). Joseph’s brothers resented him because his father showed favoritism to him (Gen. 37:11). The Jews opposed Paul’s preaching because of envy (Acts 13:45).
Any advantage held by another can trigger this feeling – intelligence, good looks, popularity, a good job, even a person’s spiritual insights. The most devout Christian is not immune to the subtle temptation of envy.
When F. B. Meyer held meetings in Northfield, Massachusetts, large crowds came to hear his stirring messages. Then the renowned British preacher G. Campbell Morgan came to Northfield. Soon the people were flocking to hear his expositions of Scripture. Meyer was envious. He said, “The only way I can conquer my feelings is to pray for Morgan daily – which I do!”
If you find yourself jealous or envious toward another, perhaps this is what you need to do.
Tags: jealousy, prayer
The Devil was once crossing the Libyan Desert when he came upon a group of small friends who were tempting a holy hermit. They tried him with the seduction of the flesh, they sought to sow his mind with doubts and fears, they told him that all his austerities were worth nothing. But it was all in vain. The holy man was impeccable.
Then the Devil stepped forward. Addressing the imps he said, “Your methods are too crude. Permit me for one moment to make a recommendation.” Going up to the hermit, he asked, “Have you heard the news? Your brother has been made Bishop of Alexandria.” Then a scowl of malignant jealousy clouded the serene face of the holy man.
What do you think? Would that tactic work on you?
Tags: jealousy, Satan, temptation