Are you a big social media user? Do you subscribe to Twitter feeds, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube channels? Do you enjoy reading about other people’s lives? seeing their children’s antics? pics of the big birthday bash? the new clothes and accessories? the restaurant where they ate last night? the dessert that she is about to eat right now? 

It’s great fun to read news about friends. But be honest with me. Do you ever feel envy gnawing at you when you see other people’s fabulous parties? new furniture? major sporting event seats? giant new flat screen? trophy perfect children? expensive vacations? Is it hard to see a big group of people having fun when you are alone and blue?  

Digital media has been around only for a few years, but envy has been tormenting people since sin began. It is deadly. Shakespeare called it a green-eyed monster. God said, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Proverbs 14:30). If you’ve caught yourself with jealous thoughts, what can you do?

1) Take inventory of the blessings in your life, both human and material. Write the list down so you can look at it and then refer to it tomorrow. 2) Take inventory of all the spiritual blessings in your life. 3) Give thanks to God for each of them. 4) Decide to clap and cheer for your friends’ good fortune and be genuinely happy for them.