The Sin of Envy

Show Notes

In our modern materialistic society, envy is almost considered a virtue. Advertisers spend billions to convince you that you’re not happy with your lot in life. But envy is a sin that will rob you of joy and peace. So today on MoneyWise, we’ll show you how to avoid the envy trap!

• WHAT IS ENVY?
• Let’s start with a definition. This is from an evangelical dictionary, “Envy is the ‘sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others.’” That’s pretty straightforward and it tells us that the words “envy” and “jealousy” are interchangeable. Why is envy a sin? Because God’s Word says so in several places. But most notably, as in the 10th Commandment in Exodus 20:17: “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” And of course, “covet” is another word for envy.
• Like the sin of pride, envy also leads to many other sins. In James 4:2-3, we find, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
• There’s a difference between envy and the proper motivation to better one’s life. For the one, you’re willing to work hard and you’re content with what the Lord provides. But with envy, you feel entitled and deprived. You feel that someone, namely God, owes you something. Envy is ugly and destructive. James 3:16 tells us, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”
• Envy or jealousy is a powerful emotion that we must always be on guard against.
• Proverbs 27:4 warns, “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”
• HOW TO OVERCOME ENVY
• So how do you know if envy has taken hold in your life? Look at your finances. Are you living beyond your means? Are you running up credit card debt to finance a lifestyle that you can’t afford? We used to say that this was, “Keeping up with the Joneses.” Now some people call it “FOMO,” an acronym for Fear of Missing Out. You want what others have and you’re willing to go into debt to get it. If you don’t get it under control and learn to live on less than you make, you’re headed for financial disaster. Here’s what you can do:
• First, pray that the Holy Spirit would give you contentment with what the Lord has provided. Hebrews 13:5 reads, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Second, if you need help setting up a budget and finding ways to cut your spending, sign up with one of our volunteer coaches. A MoneyWise coach can come alongside you and take you step by step through the process of getting your finances back on track. Just go to MoneyWise.org and click, “Connect with a coach.”

On this program, Rob also answers listener questions:

• What are the best alternatives to savings and accounts that pay very little interest?
• Does it make sense to pay off private student loans before paying off government loans?
• Would it be advisable to take money out of a 401k account to cover a major medical cost?
• Should you take an annuity in place of a settlement payout?

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