MORE THAN AN EMOTION
Proverbs 14:30 NKJV
A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones.
A number of years ago, when Joy and I attended Lakewood church, a couple from Romania was sharing on a Sunday night. This couple had escaped Romania during the time that country was under Communist rule. As the wife was sharing, the husband told her, "Doina, don't get an emotion." In their thick accents, it was a great moment. She was starting to cry, but he was warning her off crying by encouraging her to not get an emotion. By the way, The Ark still supports this couple, Daniel and Doina Matei, who went back to Romania and established churches all over Eastern Europe.
Don't get an emotion. That's a lot easier said than done. In our proverb for today, we can see that the emotions of envy and jealousy are more than simply troublesome. They are unhealthy. I have heard people describe being eaten up with envy. Calling jealousy the green-eyed monster. But the Bible takes these emotions much more seriously. Because when we are good on the inside, we are healthier throughout our bodies. The NLT Version of verse thirty says, "A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones." Some may think the scriptures are speaking metaphorically, but there is more here.
Proverbs 4:20-23 speaks of putting God's Word into our life because it helps us. "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let themdepart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Putting a priority on planting God's word into our lives is life and health and most definitely good for our inner life our heart. And with this kind of focus on God's word the ability for envy and jealousy to dominate our mind and thoughts will be limited.
The challenge with the emotions of envy and jealousy is that we keep running them over and over in our minds. And often, we take a bad situation and, by constantly thinking about it, we magnify it. And it has a negative effect on our bodies. Remember that science is catching up with God's wisdom, but here are just some of the effects of envy and jealousy. "When you feel intense envy or jealousy, your amygdala (the brain's emotional smoke detector) sounds the alarm. This triggers the adrenal glands to flood your system with:
- Cortisol: Known as the "stress hormone." Chronic levels lead to systemic inflammation.
- Adrenaline: Increases your heart rate and spikes blood pressure.
- The Result: Over time, this constant state of "high alert" can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and a weakened immune system.
So we need to guard against allowing envy and jealousy to stick around. We don’t need the negative effects on our health. Reading Scripture out loud can help and strengthen our hearts. Praying can help. And of course, throwing down the negative, envious, and jealous thought loops. That's a big topic. And it's important. For our health and the relationships we have with those in our world.
PRAYER
Lord, help me live free from envy and jealousy. I want my heart free and clear. My mind unhindered, and my body healthy.