Jealousy

Jealousy and God’s Abundance

Have you ever been surprised by a strong feeling of jealousy?

A few weeks ago, I was at Mirror Lake, one of the houses we rent out. I noticed the couple staying there, sitting together on the dock, relaxing and enjoying vacation. Suddenly, I felt this wave of jealousy rise up within me. Instead of enjoying my day, I became indignant toward this couple who had done absolutely nothing wrong.

That’s what jealousy does. It sneaks up on us. Suddenly, we’re mad at someone who hasn’t harmed us at all—simply because they have something we want in that moment.

The Sneaky Nature of Jealousy

I think we all know that feeling. Maybe you’ve wanted someone else’s success, their friendships, or their opportunities. Maybe it was as small as craving someone’s attention, or as big as wishing you had their entire life.

Jealousy often hides under more “legitimate” concerns like rules, fairness, or order. But underneath it all is this ache: “I want what you have.”

A Story from Luke 13

We see this in Luke 13. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue when a woman walked in who had been crippled for 18 years. Jesus stopped everything, called her forward, laid His hands on her, and said:

“Woman, you are set free.”

She stood up straight and praised God. The room was buzzing with joy and amazement.

But then, the synagogue leader stepped in. He was indignant. He told the people this healing shouldn’t happen on the Sabbath. On the surface, it looked like he was upset about rule-keeping. But underneath, it was jealousy—jealousy of Jesus’s authority, His attention, and His power to heal.

Jealousy Flows from Scarcity Thinking

Here’s the thing: jealousy almost always flows out of a mindset of scarcity. It’s the belief that there isn’t enough to go around—not enough love, not enough honor, not enough resources or attention.

Scarcity whispers: “If you gain something, I must lose something.”

And yes, life does have limits. You only have 24 hours in a day. You only have so much money in your bank account. You live in the body you’ve been given, with the limits of your age and health. It’s easy to look around and find someone who has more—more time, more money, more health.

But the real danger is zero-sum thinking: the idea that one person’s gain automatically means my loss. That mindset breeds jealousy, competition, and resentment.

The Kingdom of God Is Abundant

Jesus shows us a different reality. In the kingdom of God, it is not a zero-sum game.

There is always more healing. More mercy. More freedom. More love.

God’s resources don’t run out. Where we are limited, God is infinite and generous. Jesus calls us not to rely on our own limits, but to rest in the limitless love of God.

Breaking Free from Jealousy

So let me ask you: Where has jealousy been sneaking into your life lately?

Is it a relationship? Someone else’s success? Another person’s freedom or joy?

What if you trusted that God’s abundance is big enough for all of us? That you don’t have to compete for love, healing, or attention—that there really is enough to go around?

As followers of Jesus, we live in the extravagant love of Almighty God. We don’t have to operate out of scarcity or jealousy. Instead, we can celebrate what God is doing in each other’s lives, knowing that His abundance never runs dry.

Like the woman in Luke 13, we can stand up straight, rejoice, and praise God. And instead of being indignant when others receive blessings, we can celebrate alongside them.

That’s really good news.

Until next time, may you live in the abundant love of our extravagant God.