"Jealousy" is a competitive attitude. God knows that He is in competition with His creatures for attention. God expects mankind to love Him but instead they love themselves. That attitude is: (1) I am more important than God, and (2) I need attention. I suggest that that attitude is how our gods are appeased. God doesn't like that attitude, and indeed, to be "born-again" requires that attitude be submitted to God. People, upon enlightenment that they are not gods, become meek. "Meekness" is the attitude of those who are truly born-again!
Ephes 4:1 ...beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Mat 11:29 Take my (Jesus's) yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.Meek Christians have no need for jealousy! Meek Christians are neither in competition with God nor others who perceive themselves "as gods".
Of course, mankind was created loving himself: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Mat 26:39.) Everyone must love themselves so as to desire to be preserved in Heaven. In fact, that need for preservation is inherent because no one hates themselves (Ephes 5:29). Everyone is to have the same loving attitude for others as they have for themselves. With that said, there should be no jealousy!
In my young adult years I barely subsisted. My church friends were a little older and well-established. They had many things which I didn't. I lived in a rat-infested rundown farmhouse in between cornfields. My friends lived in affluent homes. They loved me as I was, and I loved them as they were. I was happy for their prosperity and without covetness which is jealousy. God blessed me! The meekness of my attitude was from God. It was not my own for mankind's nature is jealousy.
I am fairly prosperous but far from wealthy. I live comfortably and without financial worry. That lifestyle was a gift of God because of the change in my nature! If my attitude changes, it can all be taken away.
I was the first in my family to receive a college education. Take my word for it, that was a gift from God! I graduated free from debt and only borrowed twenty-five cents from my Dad one time. I worked my way through and ate little for four years usually eating only one meal a day at most. I was meek but God blessed me! I was jealous of one thing though: going to an elite college, most others were smarter than me! I wished I had their intelligence. However, because I didn't, I studied more and perhaps learned more from it.
In a few years, my employer paid for my graduate-level degree. I was blessed again but not proud in a competitive sense because my education was soon to be used for God's purpose.
My wife had my graduate degree framed because she was proud of my accomplishment. I reluctantly accepted that gift even though I had filed it away in the memorabilia box. I never thought anymore about it because even though it was prominently displayed in my study. I seldom even noticed it, and never pointed it out.
On one occasion, a person commented on my degree as he was touring my home. I acknowledged that I did have a masters-level degree and we walked on. I could sense the attitude of jealousy at that very moment because I knew that the person was not educated beyond his field. I also figured that his family was not highly educated. That made little difference until on many occasions he held my education against me. To this day, that Christian man displays an attitude of competitiveness and he's in a position to make me ineffectual. I could be using my training for God's purposes but am suffocated by jealousy; at least in my perceived view of the situation.
Not only are people in competition with God for glory, many are in competition with others for "godhood" which is self-esteem.
Imagine if the other apostles had been jealous of late-comer Paul who is the most notable of all of them. If that had been the case, Jesus would never had been taught and Christians would be mere followers of Cephas and the others (1 Cor 1:12). Paul taught accordance in Christ. As long as Herrin magnifies Christ and Jesus's doctrine, why would other Christians be jealous of that? I realize that education does not provide divine insight but neither does ignorance! The educated and the not so educated look at the same events in different ways and reveal truth in different manners. I appreciate the lay-preacher as much as the educated as long as their doctrine is Christ's!
Christians are to put away pride in themselves unless it is for the glory of God. It's okay to brag on Christ but to promote oneself or demote others is not to God's glory - it is for one's own esteem.
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