JEALOUSY
by
Becky Rene
Introduction
1. This is a lesson all about jealousy and envy. It is a lesson mainly for girls and boys from about 8 years old or something like that who are trying to be good boys and girls and who want to make God happy.
2. When I was a little girl I used to get jealous but now I can see that jealousy is very bad and so I want to tell you why it is bad, and I want to show you how you can stop getting jealous.
I. Why do we get jealous?
A. There are lots of reasons why we get jealous:
1. Maybe all your friends at school have nice clothes and expensive stuff, like an X-Box, and you do not have those things, and so you get jealous about that.
2. Maybe your grandparents bought your brother a laptop for Christmas and you got a pullover, and so you get jealous about that.
3. Maybe your sister gets lots of attention all the time and you do not and you cannot stand it, and so you get jealous about that.
4. Maybe there is a girl or boy at school or college who is very, very popular and no one even notices you, and so you get jealous about that.
5. Maybe your family is very poor and your neighbors have everything they want, like, a Mercedes, and they get to go on vacation all the time, and so you get jealous about that.
6. Maybe all your friends are a lot prettier and cleverer than you and you feel like you are not pretty and clever, and so you get jealous about that.
7. Maybe your friends have parents who let them go out when they want, go where they want, and get home as late as they want but your parents are very restrictive and will not let you go anywhere, and so you get jealous about that.
B. So you can see that there are lots of reasons why we get jealous aren’t there? Look at those reasons why we get jealous again and you can see that we get jealous because we think it is not fair. It is not fair when all your friends have an i-Pod and you do not, and it is not fair when all your friends can go out where they want and get home when they want. That is what we think.
II. What does being jealous do to us?
A. Jealousy is a very bad thing and this is what it does…
1. It makes you angry. Read Genesis 37.1-28. Do you remember what happened when Joseph’s father made a special coat for him? Do you remember what happened when Joseph told his brothers about his dreams?
a. They got very jealous and they got mad at him and they could not even talk to him in a nice way anymore.
b. Now they got so mad at him that they even wanted to kill him, their own brother! But they sold him into slavery instead.
2. So being jealous does all these things…
a. It makes you say bad things to that person and it makes you say bad things about them to other people.
b. It makes you do spiteful and mean things to that person. Like, you might take their school bag without being seen and throw it in the trash can or you might blame your brother or sister for things when they did not even do it.
B. Now jealousy makes you say bad things and do bad things but guess what?
1. YOU are the one who is unhappy and sad all the time! Is that how you want to be for the rest of your life?
2. People will see what a horrible person you are and so you will lose your friends and other people will not want to talk to you because they will say, “Oh, that girl is very jealous and mean and miserable all the time. She is not a very nice girl and so I would not like to be her friend, no.” That is what they will say.
III. What can we do about our jealousy?
A. You need to realise that God made you what you are.
"Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches" (1 Corinthians 7:17)
1. So what does that mean? Listen to this, “The phrase ‘as God hath distributed’ refers to the condition in which people are placed in life, whether as rich or poor, in a state of freedom or servitude, of learning or ignorance, etc. And it implies that God appoints the lot of people, and orders the circumstances of their condition; that religion is not designed to interfere directly with this; and that people should seek to show the real excellence of religion in the particular sphere in which they may have been placed by divine providence before they became converted” (A. Barnes).
2. So it is God who made you and put you where you are and gave you everything you have, everything! So if you start looking around at what everyone else has and you say it is not fair and you get all jealous, then that means you are really complaining to God!!! Now you don’t want to complain about what God has given you, do you? That is the way you should think and when you think about it that way, then maybe you will feel ashamed about your complaining and feeling jealous.
B. You need to realise that life is not about getting things.
"Then He said to them, Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. And He told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And He said to His disciples, For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you" (Luke 12:15-31)
1. Jesus says that life is not all about getting things. You might get all the things you want but that will not make you happy and you will probably forget all about God. That is why the Bible says, "Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, Who is the LORD? Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God" (Proverbs 30:8-9).
2. So instead of worrying about getting things, you should worry about seeking God’s kingdom and finding out what pleases God – Luke 12.31; Ephesians 5.17.
C. You need to be content with what you have.
1. Look at what the Bible says about being content…
"Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, And what about us, what shall we do? And he said to them, Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages" (Luke 3:14)
"Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10)
"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Philippians 4:11)
"But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content" (1 Timothy 6:6-8)
"Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (Hebrews 13:5)
2. Like I said, it is God who made you and gave you everything you have – 1 Corinthians 7.17. So just be happy with what you have because if you start complaining, then you are really complaining to God and that will not make Him very happy and He will see that you are selfish and ungrateful.
IV. What can we do if we get teased or something like that?
A. Now I know it is very hard when you do not have everything that your friends have and I know it hurts when people treat you unfairly and tease you, I really do. So what can you do about that?
1. You must remember what the Bible says…
a. If you are trying to live in a way that makes God happy with you, then worldly people will make fun of you and stuff like that. You should not be surprised – 1 Peter 4.12. So you just need to prepare yourself for it.
"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12)
b. It is better to suffer for being good than to suffer for doing evil isn’t it? So just remember that God is watching what is going on and God will reward you for doing good and the wicked people will be punished. So just leave yourself in God’s hands.
"For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong" (1 Peter 3:17 NASBR)
"Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right" (1 Peter 4:15-19 NASBR)
2. I think you need to find some new friends…
a. If they say they are your friends and they tease you or make fun of you because you do not have the right clothes or the right things, like, a cell phone or an I-Pod, or an X-Box, and other stuff, then who wants friends like that?
b. A friend should like you because of who you are, not what you have or not have. So find some new friends in school or college who are Christians, or maybe make friends with someone at church. If you can only find one good friend, then that will be enough and you can talk to each other about all your problems. And do not forget, Jesus is your best friend and you can talk to Him at any time and He will listen to you, He really will. Do you know that song, ‘What A Friend We Have In Jesus’? You need to sing that song when you have had a bad day at school or college.
B. So this is what you need to do:
1. Your day at school:
a. Make sure you pray for strength every morning before you go to school.
b. Say to yourself, “Whatever happens today, I am going to be good and I am going to be a good example to everyone, yes.”
c. If you have a special friend at school, then hang out with each other and make sure you pray together at lunch time.
2. When you get home:
a. Make sure you pray about the day you have had.
b. See if you can meet with some Christian friends to talk, pray, sing, and study with. This will be very encouraging for you.
Summary
1. There are lots of reasons why we get jealous: sometimes we get jealous because we are selfish and greedy and sometimes we get jealous because we think people have not been fair to us.
2. But what good does being jealous do? It just makes us angry and sad; it makes us say bad things and it makes us do spiteful and mean things. It makes us into a horrible person that no one likes. Now do you really want to be angry and sad all the time? Do you really want to end up with no one liking you and no friends? No you do not.
3. So you need to realise that God made you and gave you all that you have and that when you get jealous of what other people have (popularity, better looks, more things) you are really complaining to God that He has not given you all those things. That sounds really selfish doesn’t it? It is! You also need to realise that life is not all about getting things but life is about seeking God’s kingdom and doing what pleases God. So you just need to learn to be content with what God has given you and then you will not get jealous of other people and you will be happy.
4. Now if you get teased, get made fun of, and get left out, then do not be surprised about that because that is what happens when you try to live a life that is pleasing to God. But it is better to suffer for doing good than doing bad. Make sure you pray about it and make sure you have some good friends to meet with after school to pray, sing, study, and talk about it with.