Don't be a Hater

Get a group of girlfriends together and if you don't watch out, you're bound to end up in "hater" conversation. You know what I'm talking about..."Marcy may be popular but have you smelled her breath? It's a combination of curly fries and peanut butter!! And what's up with her obsession with being a size 0? She's too skinny!!"

If you're a guy, maybe it's "Coach Jones put Frankie in first string. That dude is a serious kiss up. No wonder Coach put him in."

Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines envy as:

1) the painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage

2) malice (a desire to cause pain, injury or distress to another)

3) an object of envious notice or feeling (his new car made him the envy of his friends).

Let's keep it real. If you've got envy, serious envy, you're a hater. A hater is all about taking the other person down a notch. For example:

Bud: "Did you hear about Wanda? She just got signed to a record label and now she's getting ready to go on tour with Selena Gomez."

Sheila: "If she hit the big time, why does her hair look like it got caught in a tree shredder and her clothes remind me of that retro 80's Flashdance video?"

Underneath envy is anger. You say, "Really?? Anger? How do you get that? Think about it. Imagine this little conversation going on in your head. Obviously fill in the right name and gender in exchange for Bertha.

"I'm angry because I don't have what Bertha has (the boyfriend, the look, the health, the cash, the position in ministry, the country club membership, the facebook pictures, the car, the 90's boom box, whatever). I'm fully raging because clearly God has forgotten about me and I've been left on the side of the road with nothing. Again. Dogged out by God. What's up with that? That ain't right. I need what Bertha has and then I'll be happy. That's it--that one thing is the thing that is separating me from  being happy. I now hate Bertha because she's in my way of being happy. Expletive/name call. I hate her and by the way, the stuff that she has, she doesn't really deserve."

Clearly, none of this is from God. None of it. God is the creator of all things. Psalm 31:19 says:
 
How abundant (huge, righteous, sparkly-tacular, kickin', right on, overflowing, Y to the YES!!) are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear (stand in awe of, give a spiritual high five to, worship, love, adore) you, that you bestow (give, kick down) in the sight of all, on those who take refuge (trust, become besties with, believe, rely on) in you. ~Monika translation

And Proverbs 14:30 says, A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. 

You want to be free of envy? Worship God. Pray for your enemies. Bless those who curse you and bless those whom you curse. Ask God for forgiveness and start fresh, realizing that you have all you need. Look at what God says (above) in Psalm 31:19--Love God, be blessed and free of being a hater.

Say out loud, based on Psalm 136:2 NIV:

"I give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever."