Jealousy eats away – like cancer!  Jealousy of another’s position, possessions, money, etc is sin!  It creates havoc and strife!

Jacob had two wives, who were sisters.  He loved the younger one and barely tolerated the older sister.  He had been hood-winked, deceived by his father-in-law into marrying the older one first.  (Genesis 29:21-30)

Leah, the older sister, bore four sons to Jacob and Rachel was barren.  Rachel was jealous of her older sister.

In fact she became angry with her husband, Jacob.  “Give me children, or else I die.”

Her jealousy of Leah’s four sons caused great strife in her marriage and in that family.  What was Jacob’s reaction?  He reacted in anger against his beloved wife, Rachel.

(NASB) Genesis 30:2 “Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, ‘Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

Rachel’s jealousy also caused her to work out a solution to her barrenness.  She talked Jacob into taking her maid to bear children and they would be hers.  Her maid had two sons… and Rachel claimed them as her own.

Jealousy leads to actions which do not honor the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jealousy is a sin.  How are followers of Christ to deal with any sin?  Confess it to the living God.  He forgives us our sins when we repent and turn from them.

(NASB) 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

~ Take it to heart ~

Jealousy controls and eats away at relationships.  It is one of many deadly sins.
What is controlling your actions today?  Is it God and His word; or is jealousy in control?

(NASB) Romans 13:12-14 “… let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”