KEN ANSELL | Waxahachie Daily Light
I know we know people on social media have to go to work at some point. What I mean is not everyone but me can be on an endless vacation. Does that make sense? When I get on my social media accounts, it looks like all my “friends” are on a cruise, in the sunshine working on their tan, eating Mexican food or out shopping at Nordstrom. It may not be true, but it looks like everybody I know is buying a new Chevrolet Trail Boss pickup truck. At minimum they are celebrating a new grand baby. Come on man, I have not had a new grand baby in at least 12 years. What’s up with that!?
My point is it’s easy to be envious if we are not careful. Envy is that feeling of displeasure we get when we see or hear about the prosperity of others. We see what others have and we desire those things, we covet those things and sometimes resentment becomes the by-product of envy.
The only good thing about this envy is it can turn into pride, since I’m about to go on my annual fishing trip to east Texas in my brand new kayak in the world’s greatest red Jeep Gladiator while wearing my favorite white pearl snap fishing shirt (shout out to Poncho). I’m connecting with my favorite barista, and we have a Yeti cooler with a slick horns kit (Google it), so when we are not fishing and eating a Chick-O-Stick and washing that down with a Hint water, we will be brushing up on our team roping skills.
Somehow all of this is so wrong, but I think you are getting the point. And when pride is better than envy, I think it’s time to go see a priest or at least get an evangelical to pray for you. Here’s truth. Love is the answer. Love does not envy (1st Corinthians 13:4). What I’m saying is, we overcome envy by loving (loving God and loving others).
The 23-year-old grad student that used to live at our house and is about to be a school teacher dates a great young man named Gustavo. Gustavo is from Brazil, in grad school, speaks three languages, played Division 1 soccer and treats Klaire like she is his most treasured possession, so it’s hard not to love Gustavo. He’s been around off and on for a long time, and he has been a guest (more like family) in our home a lot and the Blonde will sometimes offer Gustavo a second round of groceries while at the dinner table and he has this way of touching his stomach and saying, “No thank you (in his great Brazilian accent) I am satisfied.” We need to love because love beats envy, but we need to top love off with being satisfied. God calls it being content, and the Apostle Paul put it like this in Philippians 4:13, “I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content.”
Here’s another truth. When we feel envious, something is wrong with our heart,and it’s indicative of the fact that we are not okay with what God is doing in our lives. King David put it like this in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” If we “want” maybe we are not letting the Lord lead. Be happy for people who are out shopping, on a cruise or eating Mexican food – celebrate what they are doing. If you need a new Trail Boss pickup truck, God will provide for you, don’t worry, don’t be envious – be satisfied. He told me to tell you that.