One day in kids’ church, I taught a lesson on jealousy and envy. I used this green with envy cartoon to get the kids thinking about the subject.
The term, “green with envy,” could have gone back as far as the time of the Ancient Greeks. They associated a green complexion with sickness, fear, and jealousy. Later, William Shakespeare alluded to the term in Othello.
“O beware, my lord, of jealousy;
Iago in Othello
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”
Our lesson was on envy versus contentment and how we get distracted from loving others and God when we are envious.
However, this isn’t to say we shouldn’t have ambition, or drive to achieve. A healthy work ethic is good when it is kept in check with contentment. That is why gratitude is such an important balance to drive. Keeping up with the Joneses only leads to discontentment and more envy.
Naboth’s Cautionary Tale
The story of Naboth and King Ahab in II Kings, chapter 21, graphically shows how envy causes pain and sorrow. Naboth owned a vineyard next to the king’s palace. Ahab wanted the vineyard, but Naboth wasn’t interested in selling the land.
Though the king had hundreds of times more than his peasant neighbor, Ahab let envy get the best of him. He threw a tantrum and sulked. When his wife, Jezebel, found out, she took matters into her own hands and had Naboth killed.
The prophet Elijah relayed a word from the Lord about the sin and the subsequent punishment. As a result, Ahab’s envy resulted in the death of the royal couple.
Jealousy and envy only leads to hurt and pain. I hope this green with envy cartoon will remind you how senseless and destructive this emotion can be if we let it get out of control.
Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog on October 6, 2015. I revamped and updated it for timeliness and comprehensiveness.
