I first learned of the term “the green-eyed monster” back in tenth grade when I read Shakespeare’s Othello. The green-eyed monster is used to describe jealousy and it is something that we constantly deal with in our human experience. The first biblical recording of jealousy was illustrated in the story of Cain and Abel. Read More: Genesis 4.
Essentially, Cain and Abel were brothers who brought sacrifices to God. Abel made it a priority to give God the best of his harvest. However, Cain would always give the short end of his harvest and he would get jealous when God will favor Abel. God noticed Cain’s demeanor and says, “[Cain], why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:6-7.
In my interpretation, I believe God said this statement for two reasons.
First, God saw the jealousy that was brewing in Cain, and he wanted to address the root cause. The root cause was that Cain was not doing the right thing and he was giving God the leftover rather than first fruits of his labor. Abel on the other hand was doing the right thing and giving God his very best fruits. So imagine the audacity that Cain had to be upset with Abel for doing the right thing.
In the same way, when we look at the root cause of jealousy, we realize that most of the negative feelings or anger we feel towards another person is because of our own inadequacy. When we feel jealous of another person’s success or lifestyle, it could because of some of the inaction we have in our own lives. For example, imagine if you are jealous of a friend who looks good because they go to the gym and put in the time and effort it takes to ensure their fitness is a priority. In contrast, you do not put in the same work and effort that your friend puts in. As such, jealousy is not about the other person, it is an internal struggle our own incompetence or short comings. We feel incompetent so rather than dealing with the issue, we find it easier to take out our emotions on others.
Likewise, we tend to project our failures and inadequacy on other people. For example, Abel was not trying to show off or make Cain look bad. He was simply being himself and acting in reverence to God. God saw this and addressed Cain in a response to help him see the error of his ways.
Secondly, God knew what could happen if jealousy was not nipped at the bud. The minute Cain had Abel alone, he let his jealousy turn to anger and rage which led to him murdering his own brother. Imagine being so mad at someone that you go so far to killing them. You might think to yourself, “it’s not that deep” or “it will never get to that level.” However, every sin starts with a thought that can grow into something big.
Jealousy never leads to anything good. Rather than being bitter about someone’s success, take time to learn from them and apply those positive principles in your life. Cain could have learned from his brother and in turn given God better fruits. However, he decided not to take accountability for his actions. I urge you not to behave like Cain.
If you find yourself struggling with jealousy, know that you are not alone and seek God’s help with dealing with this spirit. While you pray, also take practical steps to ensuring that you are dealing with the root issues. If you have experienced jealousy, please share your tips on how you dealt with it in the comments below.
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