Today I was contemplating the term jealous/jealousy. A couple days ago I talked about God being a jealous God. I really wanted to dig a bit deeper into this notion. Why is it not a good characteristic for us? Well, jealous defined is vigilant in guarding a possession, intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness, hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage (Merriam-Webster Dictionary App). Well, it makes sense that the Father is a jealous God, I mean we are His creation, and He has every right to be upset if we are worshipping other idols. Before I get to the other part of the definition let’s further the discussion of idolatry, worshipping anything more than the Father. That means anyone or anything being put before the Father, given more time than the Father is a form of idolatry. We are to worship no other god. Let’s include the defining of worship, one we already are aware of is to honor or show reverence for a divine being (our Father God), and the other side is extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem (Merriam-Webster Dictionary App). So, really if we have mad respect for someone and we don’t with the Father, then we might want to reevaluate our actions, because our actions reveal our heart.
Another point that I need to emphasize is that of the possession part of jealousy. Who are we possessive of? Are they a possession? To the Father, yes! To our spouse, not a possession, but a place for jealousy if something comes in between. Because of the vows made between each other, anything that comes against will evoke jealousy…not necessarily a person, but lack of quality time or attention can be as detrimental. We have to water our own yard, so we are not looking at others in comparison. To anyone else, nope, we are not anyone’s possession, we are not to hold someone as such either. We should not be jealous when we see them do great things, we should be cheering them on. We should not be jealous when they spend time with their own family, we should recognize the importance of such time and investment. And on and on with the examples.
The other point of juncture of jealousy that I previously stated I would go is that of rivalry. Who determines who is a rival? I believe the one who beholds is the one who determines this. If we see an expectation not being met or reciprocated or we feel they’re not giving like they should, even looking just at this statement alone we can see who is determining it. It is a form of control over a possession, yes let’s make it this clear. I don’t want to soften it up. It is as it is stated, that one who feels a form of jealousy seeks a form of control over a possession. Since we are not a purse or a car or an inanimate object, then we are not a possession. Thus, we are not to be fought over like we are. Further, we need to recognize the expectations we have placed on someone, when they do not even know about them nor did not agree to such guidelines. We cannot expect someone to live within the limits we have provided for them or even the expected action, reaction, do’s or don’ts…unless it is our spouse, LOL!!! Just kidding, well there is more that goes into it with marriage, but the sense of control is not one of them. Marriage we become one flesh, so controlling half of ourselves and not the other seems a bit out of balanced, LOL! But on the real, we work together to find our way in marriage, we voice our concerns, and we must speak about the expectations. Yes, all of us out there, communicate, do not assume that the other should know why we’re upset…like they can read our minds or something, LOL!!! Guilty!
So, to answer why it’s not a befitting characteristic, to be jealous, I think we see the negative affects it has on us as a person. It shifts us from being able to focus on the Father, when instead we are bent out of shape, even have our feelings hurt (not offense because they did not do anything to cause us to error from Him; instead, we are the one’s holding the blame for feeling they should be or act within a certain frame we have created). Be grateful to the Father that our paths have crossed, be grateful to the Father that He used them in our lives, be grateful to Him that we had someone to enjoy and uplift us for a time, and so forth. Point being, be grateful to the Father and remove the expectations that they fit within a certain perceived framework or structure that even society has encouraged.
At this point besides shifting to gratefulness, I would add the need to evaluate our lives deeply, praying to the Father that He expose areas of our life that lead us to jealousy so that we may heal, that He reveal where we are jealous so we can change and repent. We also need to ask that He reveal how and what we have put before Him, and that we repent for such, but not just in word. It is time to let our actions be the words proven to what we intend…not for other’s interpretation, but the Father’s. Do it for the Father!
“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God” Exodus 34:14.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment” Mark 12:30.
“And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” Colossians 3:23.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” Matthew 6:21.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me” Matthew 15:8.
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man” Matthew 15:18.