The Living Dead, Part Five

Today we are going to be looking at number five on "The Living Dead Test," but before we do, I want to remind you why we're doing this.  The purpose of this series of posts is not to discourage you or to put you down, but rather to help you see what areas of your spiritual walk still need work.  Understanding our weaknesses is the first step to correcting them, right?  That being said, let's continue the test.

"When you can see your brother or sister prosper and can honestly rejoice with him, and feel no envy even though your needs are greater--that is dying to self."

Ouch, that's another tough one, isn't it?  Have you ever been guilty of thinking or saying, "Why doesn't that ever happen to me?" or "Why can't I catch a break like that?"  Oh boy, I have!  Sometimes it does seem like those "big breaks" always happen to everyone but you, right?  The great job with good pay and benefits.  Really?  That writing contract that would have expanded your ministry to new heights.  Seriously?  The monetary gift that would have enabled you to pay all of this month's bills instead of having to pick and choose which payments would be late.  For real?

I personally know of a few people who seem to have blessings literally fall in their laps all the time, and the truly sad part is that some of these people are not using their time and talents to serve the Lord.  And honestly, when I hear them talk about blessing after blessing while I'm secretly wondering how I'm going to pay the mortgage and whether we'll ever be able to fix our leaky roof, I find it difficult to rejoice but quite easy to envy.  "Why do they get all the breaks and I get all the problems? It's just not fair!"

Well, the truth, my friend, is that God never promised that life would be fair, but He did promise that He would supply all our needs.  That being the case, we can all say that we have been blessed, and we need to be careful that we do not allow envy to blind us to our many blessings or to cause a seed of bitterness to well up in our hearts.  No, we may not have what John Doe has, but we can trust that we have what God wants us to have at present.  When He's ready for us to have more, He'll open that door of opportunity.  In the meantime, while we're waiting on those doors to open, He would like for us to praise Him in the hallway.

"When you can see your brother or sister prosper and can honestly rejoice with him, and feel no envy even though your needs are greater--that is dying to self."

Oh, good grief!  I've got some serious dying to do.  How about you?

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? - I Corinthians 3:3