By Darin Smith
Song of Solomon 8:6 (NKJV) “For love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave.”
Irish novelist and playwright Samuel Beckett received great recognition for his work–but not every one savored his accomplishments. Beckett’s marriage, in fact, was soured by his wife’s jealousy of his growing fame and success as a writer. One day in 1969 his wife Suzanne answered the telephone, listened for a moment, spoke briefly, and hung up. She then turned to Beckett and with a stricken look whispered, “What a catastrophe!” Was it a devastating personal tragedy? No, she had just learned that Beckett had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature (Today in the Word, February, 1991)!
Our lives can be the downfall of others by jealousy. You see, if we are prideful about our accomplishments and abilities, then many people will become jealous of us. For instance, imagine you just won a prestigious award. Now if you prided yourself on explaining how you won it, how much time you spent preparing to win it, and how much money you spent to have a shot, people will take notice. Deep inside, whether expressed or not, they are jealous. Over time they will see more of you and less of God. A true mark of a mature Christian is someone who doesn’t pretend to know it all, is willing to step down and work behind the scenes for a change, and doesn’t flaunt ability or knowledge.
1 Corinthians 3:3 “For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”
Faith Lesson: Instead of priding yourself in your achievements, trade the prideful for sharing God’s kingdom.
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