Envy is a
companion of success.
People envy
you because you are doing something. And I want to enlist factors that can propagate
the misnomer ENVY in our lives.
Root causes of Envy
1.
Comparison attitude
When you
begin to compare yourself with other people, when you begin to measure yourself
with people around you. You may feel that they are better than you and at that,
you begin to envy them.
2 Corinthian chap 10 vs. 12. We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
So when we
begin to compare ourselves with ourselves, we are not being wise. Paul warned us to refrain from such
unchristian attitudes. Comparison attitude is not only unchristian but also a
terror in the heart and as destructive as any physical – emotional problem
known today.
So once you
compare yourself to others, you may look down on yourself and envy others,
because in comparison you do not feel as capable, intelligent, well positioned,
fortunate, powerful or rich.
You always
feel inferior, comparison generates envy among people, especially of common
interest. That one things you should know.
2. Unhealthy
Competition
Where there
is spirit of competition, envy is invoke for its activities, although there is healthy
competition. A competition is healthy when people are competing not to destroy
another or to stop the success of others. But the competition is to better
themselves and also to do things in a right way.
So when you
are competing with people and you feel that you should compete with somebody,
then you will end up generating envy into your life.
Competition does
not only generate envy, but it makes it grow, your attitude towards it
determines the level you can accommodate it in your heart.
When it is so
serious in your heart, you will surely begin to nurse ill feels against somebody’s
success and you know that it’s killing you.
It’s very
dangerous, you will not stop the person from succeeding, and you will end up disturbing
your heart when the person is succeeding.
3.
Unprecedented Prosperity
When
somebody begins to prosper, there is that tendency for him to be envied. Don’t feel
bad that you are being envied because you are succeeding, there is something
you are doing, and people are seeing it.
And since
they are seeing it, they will look away to stop you from succeeding and the
only way they can do it is to envy you. So success or prosperity cannot be
detached from envy. You can’t!
Genesis chap 26: 12 – 14. Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.
Nobody can
envy you when you are not prospering, when you are not doing something people
can see. When you are not being well positioned in the society, nobody can envy
you. From the passage above, you will discover that Isaac had unprecedented
prosperity that the people of the land envied him.
He was
envied because he became very prosperous in the land. Even as a stranger, when
you are lifted, you become a point of reference for success and people who
least expected will envy you.
A man cannot
climb the hill of unprecedented prosperity without having envy as a companion.
Know It!
So when you
are being envied, know that you are doing something. They are fulfilling this
when you become an object of discussion, criticism and blackmail. And through
this, those who do not know your worth will know. Therefore, nature has it that
they must do their work of introducing successful people.
Achievers and successful men receive envy as a
package. While failures distribute them. If you are distributing, on the habit of
envying people, you are just ending up publicizing them, you end up telling
people their worth.
4. Common
Interest
When 2 or
more people are pursuing the same goal, or have the same vision, it becomes an
avenue to manifest envy. It manifest in the following ways:
- Among colleagues
in political settings
- Ecclesiastical order
- Business partners
- Same
family relations
This is as a
result of fulfilling our ego by trying to obtain more attention or recognition
from the populace, subordinate, followers, customers or members of the
household.
You want to
just attract attention and you know that other people are attracting more
attention than yourself, you begin to envy them.
And when you
are pursuing the same goal, you have the same interest, you are doing the same
business or in the same political setting, the same party, and you are vying
for a position another person is vying for, these are the things that can cause
envy.
Common
interest creates room for competition, position struggles, self –
identification and introduction. It seeks for cheap popularity, where you see
struggle there abide common interest.
It is only a
fool that will struggle for what he’s not interested on. For instance, if you
are not interested on leadership, why do you struggle for position?
We see it in
the life of David and Saul, when people were singing how David killed ten
thousand and Saul killed a thousand, you discover that they started envying
David.
1st Samuel
chap 18 vs. 7-9, you discover that the root cause of David’s envy was as a
result of the way people were praising him for doing better than Saul. From the
time David was recognized more than Saul, Saul became green with envy of him. Saul
s interest was in his kingdom, he felt the enthronement of David will kill his
image in Israel’s kingdom.
The same
happened to Jesus and the Leaders of the synagogue. They saw that the effect of
his message cannot be equated with theirs, all the attention was shifted from
them to Jesus, they became envious of him, seeking to kill him.
When the
people you have the same common interest with, discover that they could not do
what you are doing, they will envy you.
5. Occupying
a Strategic position
When you are
occupying a strategic position, know that envy must materialize. Envy must
come! There are thousand and one people desiring to be there.
The quest to
be placed there, generates envy among the position seekers. In most cases
people refer to it as “Hot seat”. In other words, it is an envious position and
people can do whatever to ascend there, not minding the outcome.
And this is
one of the characteristics of envy. Envy looks for mistakes and faults of the
successful men, to share their fault rather than their achievements.
You can see
it in the life of Moses.
Numbers chap 12 vs. 2. Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.
When Miriam thought
that Moses was the only person hearing from the Lord, she became envious of
Moses, his brother. These are the things that can cause envy in our lives.
6. People of
Great Potentials
When you
have potential, when you have gift, when you are endowed with talent, when there
is a clear vision, people know that you are carrying. When the dream is so
clear, you cannot escape envy at your door.
Envy searches
tirelessly for vision and dream carriers, talent and gift developers and great
potential possessors to discourage them. That is the essence.
As Jesus was
born, he became the search for the envious Herod and all the Jewish council.
Matthew chap 2 vs. 1 – 3. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
They noticed
that a king was born and because of that reason, they became so envious of him.
Why? Because they saw his star. That is what envy can do.
Once you are
carrying great potential, and vision, people will envy you.
7. Misunderstanding
of peoples Purpose and Achievements
When you don’t understand their purpose, when
you don’t understand their achievements, you tend to envy them. Sometimes you
say their money is ill gotten, their vehicle is tokunbo (fairly used), and you
will always have one thing or the other to criticize their achievements.
It’s because
you don’t understand their purpose and achievement, it is higher than you and that’s
why you envy them.
Note: Today,
know that when you do not have anything to offer, you may develop envious heart
to those who have something to offer. That is one of the challenges you should
know.
Effects of Envy
1. Incitement
You begin to
incite people, you begin to tell people what they are not, you begin to make
conclusion from afar. It’s bad!
2.
Conspiracy
You begin to
gang up against the person who has been blessed, who is successful in life. You
develop hatred and anger just because somebody is succeeding. That is the
effect of envy in one’s life.
3. Unfair Judgment
You may just
judge that person without looking at the issue very well. You judge the person,
the personality no not looking at the issue that caused the problem.
4. Criticism
and Critical mind
You always
be so critical, in criticizing every act of that person. Whatever the person
does you will like to puncture it.
You not have
the right mind of Judgment, be so sentimental about it.
Conclusion
The essence
of this article is for you to know that there is need for you to do away with
such mind. Once you are not doing anything very tangible, nobody will envy you. So be happy that people are envying you, because you are doing something.
Nobody envies
the Mad Man on the street but those who are doing well, they are the people
that are being envied and people criticize, incite, and do all sorts of things.
This is as a result of ENVY.
Ask God to
withdraw you from the Shackles of ENVY.
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Disclaimer:"The views expressed in this article are exclusively the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect our Editorial Policy."
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