It is Day 3 of This is Love, 14 days describing love.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
Love does not envy!
To envy is to want, with great passion, something that belongs to someone else - Something that is not yours. In a sense, it is desiring to steal that which is not ours.
When we think of envy, we might think of jealousy. However, envy goes beyond just feeling jealous. Envy is believing that you have been wronged because someone else has been blessed.
Love does not envy!
Love is knowing that we came into this world with nothing and nothing is owed to us.
Envy is an extremely self-absorbed emotion that often is acted upon, never for the good of anyone. When you act upon feeling envy, you become angry or arrogant. You feel as if you are entitled to whatever it is you want.
Love does not envy!
There is a lot to be said about being content, happy with what you have. Contentment is far from complacency. Contentment means that whatever your lot is in life, you are happy. This doesn't mean that you don't try to better your situation or change things. But, it does mean that you are not changing or "bettering" yourself at the expense of someone else's possessions or gifts.
Envy can lead to some damaging actions. It can even sometimes take on the form of depression, feeling as if we will never be good enough and becoming inwardly angry that we were not given the talents, looks, money, or whatever, that someone else has. God has created each of us with unique and special characteristics and talents. Love, reaches in and uncovers this. It doesn't try to take it from others, and it doesn't sink into a deep depression because you feel you don't measure up.
Love does not envy!
Be happy when you see others blessed, and be happy with who you are!
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