I watched the most amazing thing happen today. I’m puppy-sitting my sisters dog at the moment and my puppy is in heaven and loves her dearly, however he’s been severly jealous of the attention she is getting. I think he thinks that he’s somehow getting less attention now that she is around, although I am probably petting him way more and playing more then I normally do, because she is around and wants attention too.
I called the dogs over to me and they both came. She is such a sweet dog and politely came to one side, making room for him. He is such a force of energy and jealousy that he came plowing straight to the middle of me, trying to push her out. I patted my lap and he jumped up and was sitting in my lap, while she sat to the side patiently. I pet her head with one hand while I was cuddling, petting and roughing him around.
Can you believe this, even though he was clearly getting way more attention then she was, he was still jealous! Trying to push her away, trying to get underneath my left hand that was really at this point just sitting on her head barely moving. Even though he was getting so much attention, he couldn’t handle her getting any bit of it.
So I called him, “Oreo…” and his ears perked and he took a step back into his place and he watched me and smiled as I continued to rough him around while I was petting his cousin Minnie gently. He was so happy and filled with joy as he looked me in the eyes, not worrying at all that I was still giving some love to Minnie.
That’s how it is with God too. We look at all the things in this world. Social media especially has taught us that other people have it good. Movies and music in the world tell us narratives about things we should hope for. Even the church is a culprit at times. We see people’s beautiful families, nice things, good jobs, amazing homes, and we think God is somehow giving us less. We compare our lives to one another and then we get jealous, unable to see the abundant blessings that God is currently pouring out in our laps.
It’s time to take your eyes off the things of this world. We need to refocus and put our eyes on God. Once we do that, our faces will light up with a bright smile as we start to recognize how much love He is pouring out over us. We don’t have to be jealous about what other people have. And not because what they have isn’t wonderful or better, because maybe it is. But it doesn’t matter when I’m looking into the eyes of my Father. All that matters is that love with Him.
It reminds me of that old song that goes “Fix your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glorgy and grace.”
Luke 10:27 “And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Colossians 3:1-2
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Psalm 37:4
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 123:1-2
“I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.”
Proverbs 14:30
“A peaceful mind gives life to the body, but jealousy rots the bones.”
Galatians 5:19-21
“The actions that are produced by selfish motives are obvious, since they include sexual immorality, moral corruption, doing whatever feels good, idolatry, drug use and casting spells, hate, fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, conflict, selfishness, group rivalry, jealousy, drunkenness, partying, and other things like that. I warn you as I have already warned you, that those who do these kinds of things won’t inherit God’s kingdom.”
James 3:16
“Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil.”
Romans 12:21
“Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.”
Exodus 20:17
“Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s house. Do not desire and try to take your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox, donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”
1 Peter 2:1-3
“Therefore, get rid of all ill will and all deceit, pretense, envy, and slander. Instead, like a newborn baby, desire the pure milk of the word. Nourished by it, you will grow into salvation, since you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
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