Monday Marriage Minder

Marriage's Death Row

Part 14 - Envy

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19-21 NLT

When we watch marriages and married couples around us, it doesn't take long to see that what the world views as love is often at odds with the biblical characteristics of love.

If I were to ask couples across our nation, in a survey or poll, to describe love, many, no doubt would describe it as a feeling.

In the Bible, love is described as a gift and as something that is given, a sharp contrast to popular worldview. It is amazing how much the difference is affecting marriages and families today.  It can creep into our hearts and spirits before we even realize it.  Yes, it can even sneak into the life of Christian marriage if allowed.

When our neighbors bring home that new car, the wife is sporting some more bling, how does that make us feel?  Are wives ever tempted to question why their husbands are not providing them with those things?  On the other hand, guys, how about the time when the neighbor brings home that new piece of lawn equipment, or car. When things like that happen, do we men question ourselves and even perhaps our wives?

Envy is the wrecking ball of marriages.  I like how the message paraphrase puts 1 Corinthians 13:4, “...love doesn’t want, what it doesn’t have.”  In a want-driven society the race to accumulate things is driving many marriages and families into ruin.  Bankruptcy, foreclosures and divorce are still at a high.

Envy does not stop with the material, but invades the emotional, mental, and even the spiritual aspects of our marriages.  A woman may want that caring and considerate husband that lives four doors down, the one who is always opening doors for his wife and playing baseball with their kids.  

A man may want the woman at the office who is always ready with a compliment because of his intelligence and abilities.  A couple may desire the giftings of a couple at their church, the ones that always are leading and in charge of various ministries.  On and on it goes......

I think of the apostle Paul’s words in scripture where he mentions how he had learned the secret to be content in Philippians 4. It is the void that is experienced by a life away or distanced from Christ that leads to discontent.

And, on the heels of discontent, is envy.

Put envy on marriage's death row and soak in the contentment found in a marriage centered on Christ.

 

For Marriages & Families,

Dave