Annette Chaisson-Lauzon
Summer, 2005, Brunswick Street United Church
In our Old Testament reading today, we heard of how Joseph's brothers acted towards him. For they were eaten up with spite and envy
because their father loved Joseph so, loved Joseph enough to give him a coat of many colours , loved Joseph because of his visions.
We can look at this and decide that we do not behave like that. After all, we do not dig a pit to throw our brother in, nor yet sell
him into the bondage of slavery.
But we do, all of us, sometimes suffer from the sin of Envy. Envy is the root of the brothers of Joseph's actions. Envy of his
dreams, envy of their fathers love and affection.
We can fall prey to this sin in many ways. When we are confronted by that which we do not understand, when a child tells a truth we
would rather not hear, when a person succeeds in achieving something beyond what we are capable of, we often, almost unwittingly,
suffer from envy. We tell a child, to be seen and not heard, forgetting Jesus' words to his apostles, to suffer the little children to
come unto Him. We say- he was lucky to achieve success, for we would rather credit luck than a man's own achievements. We say, he
cheated to obtain success, or he is undeserving of it in some way, for in this manner we feel better about our own limitations and lack
of vision and purpose.
We need to remember that in the everyday lives that we lead. We need always to be the voice of encouragement to children, rather
than the critic which silences them. How often do we tell a child to colour inside the lines, to create images that we are familiar
with, and how often do we reject images that we do not understand. It may not be given to us to understand another's vision, but we can
try to encourage it rather than squashing it.
We have members of our congregation involved in Youth initiatives, are we lending our support? Are we asking what can we do to help,
or are we judging by ignoring this work as of no importance to us? Envy gets in the way of warm congratulations at another's success.
When we fail to receive a raise or a promotion, de we congratulate one who has, or are we resentful, spiteful, mean spirited?
John Bradshaw notes that when someone begins to change their life for the better, by letting go of addictions, the people in the
former addict's life are at a loss. They are upset by the changes in behaviour; they do not know how to behave with this person the
former addict is becoming. We are unfortunately, often resentful of this change and fight against it, seeking to drag them back into
their former station in life. We are comfortable with the known, we fear the unknown, just as Joseph's brothers feared and hated
Joseph's visions.
Envy was traditionally one of the Seven deadly sins, what we might call a mortal sin. At first glance, one might think Envy is
overrated as a sin. After all, it not like Gluttony, in which one quickly sees the consequences of the sin, overeating or over drinking
leads to ill health. It is not like Lust, in which we see people overcome by pleasures which turn bitter in a very short time. It is
not like Avarice, in which we see people amassing wealth for the sake of wealth, the love of money overtaking the love of all that is
more profound.
But Envy is a subtler vice. It takes root in one's heart in part because it does not seem so terrible. When we see the results in
the Old Testament, we can realize its power. After all, Joseph did not abuse his brothers, or speak ill of them. He was simply
different from them, he saw visions they did not, and he was the most beloved of his father's sons. And for that, because of Envy, they
were going to kill him, and then relented from this only because they feared the consequences of murder.
How can we overcome this Vice, this spiteful maliciousness of the heart?
We must foster tolerance and understanding of those who have gifts of the Spirit.
We must nurture the child who speaks truths; we must encourage the gardens of Christ with love and respect. For the seed falls on
barren soil and on rich ground, but it is the task of the stewards of the earth to nurture the seed and raise up a harvest to God.
When we feel envious of others success, we need to remember to count our own blessings instead. When we are seized by jealousy, we
must put it behind us and examine why we feel that way.
For if someone who works ill benefits, we know that their fortune will not last, 'the wicked flourish like the green bay tree, but
the Lord endureth forever.' Those who gain profit by evil doing will reap their reward, as surely as those who follow the way of
Christ.
If someone profits through their own hard work and efforts, and through the talents given them by God, we should applaud them, not
seek to bring them down or hold them back.
There is a Tracy Chapman line "She's got her ticket, I think she's going to use it, think she's going to fly away No one should try
and stop her, or hold her with their power, she says that her mind is made, she's going to fly fly fly fly away."
We cannot hold our children so close that they cannot grow- we do them and God a disservice if we frustrate their talents by force
or by fear.
We cannot live well with our neighbours if we resent their abilities, rather we must cherish them and bless them for their
strengths.
Yet how can purge ourselves of these faults? How can we, in our human weakness and folly, behave better towards our fellow men,
women and children? What will serve as our touchstone to save us from this sin?
For answer, we go the New Testament, to Titus, chapter 3 verse 3-6
"For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice
and envy; hateful, and hating one another. But after that, the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared. Not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the
Holy Spirit; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour."
So the answer to envy is prayer, prayer to God the Father, the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray together the words in the order of service:
"From the snare of envy, good Lord deliver us
From the pit of malice, good Lord deliver us
From the trap of
spitefulness, good Lord deliver us
As you delivered Daniel from the lions, deliver us from evil.
In the name of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen"
© Annette Chaisson-Lauzon 2005 Used with permission from the author.
