Envy-The Unacknowledged Problem
The other day I was watching an interview conducted by a national news show where they were interviewing residents in Paducah, Kentucky about government nationalized health care. One man made a statement against the program by saying that you shouldn’t buy more than you could afford. The government can’t afford it so they should not commit to the program (Sounds like info that would be sound for your personal budget). Another lady in the audience responded to his comment with “are you saying I don’t deserve or have a right to healthcare”.
That is what really got me. When did we come to the place where we think we deserve or have a right to something that somebody else pays for? Envy is a sin that many Christians don’t like to acknowledge. Envy is the desire for something that you don’t morally have a right to. I say morally because legislators can legally give you a right but it will still be immoral. Whatever it is that you desire belongs to somebody else but you want it. You refuse to do what the other person did to get it yourself so you decide it would just be easier to take it from them. You would never as a Believer put your hand in somebody’s pocket and steal their money but we will go into a voting booth and vote for someone who will do it for us. If you’ve done this may I say that you need to repent of theft.
We will justify our envy by giving it a moral context. We have a right to it. It would be immoral to not do it. We need to help the poor, the children, the uninsured, the aged. All these are legitimate needs and we have an obligation to God to help them. God has given a way to respond to all these needs (That’s another blog all together) and it is not through force or fraud. God has called us to voluntarily give out of our substance to deserving people with needs.
Envy always exists in a social context. It always begins with comparison. It is stirred by those who make their living and keep their power by constantly placing people in groups and then pitting those groups against one another. Rich vs. Poor. Black vs. White. Aged vs. Young. The comparison can go on and on. We need to heed Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves.” (NKJV) Really the only comparison that should be made is right vs. wrong. Righteousness vs. sin. God vs. satan. (I never give him an upper case 
More on this subject to come.
