Envy and “The Whack” ∙∙
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. – Galatians 6:4
Genesis 4:2-9
2 When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.
3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.
4 Abel also brought a gift – the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,
5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
6 “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?”
7 “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.
9 Afterward, the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
On January 6, 1994, during a practice session for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, Nancy Kerrigan was attacked with a baton, struck on her right knee. The assailant was hired by Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and his associate, Shawn Eckardt.
This notorious event, known as “The Whack,” reverberated globally and seriously threatened Kerrigan’s chances of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team.
Harding once commented that she and Kerrigan were “competitors, yes, but not rivals.” Really? Did Tonya Harding have envy issues? Do you think? Just eliminate the competition, problem solved!
Envy can trap us in destructive emotional bondage. It is often damaging to others. Many of us, if we’re honest, fall into the habit of comparing ourselves to others. These comparisons rarely end well. Instead of appreciating our own blessings, envy makes us covet what others have. When we feel inadequate, it breeds dissatisfaction, anger, and even hatred, which can quickly spiral out of control. So it was with Tonya Harding.
But where did envy originate? It dates back to Cain, the first human born on Earth, who envied his brother Abel. Both offered gifts to God, but only Abel’s was accepted. Why? Genesis doesn’t explain why. But the Book of Hebrews provides some insight.
Hebrews 11:4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.
Abel offered his gift with faith, showing he was a righteous man, unlike Cain. Cain wasn’t rejected because of his offering; instead, his offering was rejected because Cain’s heart wasn’t right with the Father. Abel’s faith made his sacrifice more acceptable, demonstrating his right standing with God. Outward actions driven by an evil heart are unacceptable. God declined Cain’s offering due to the condition of his heart. Abel’s example of a faith-driven life still resonates today.
Cain’s lack of faith led him astray. His envy turned into deadly rage, resulting in Abel’s murder. The 10th commandment warns against coveting anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
“Covetousness is an unquenchable thirst for getting more and more of something we think we need in order to be truly satisfied” (Wiersbe). Coveting breeds an insatiable desire for others’ possessions, escalating into destructive anger. This desire can lead to deceit, theft, and even murder. What we deeply desire, we often end up idolizing. When we prioritize these desires over our devotion to the Father, it becomes idolatry.
REFLECT & PRAY
Jeremiah 17:9 The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
Father, my heart is inclined to evil. It is so easy to be deceived by sin, which is lurking at the door of my heart. Encourage me to think and act rightly.
INSIGHT
The Genesis story highlights Cain’s reaction when the Father accepted Abel’s offering but rejected his. Cain’s response reveals the darkness in his heart as he becomes consumed with anger towards both the Father and Abel.
“Cain was so angry he would not be talked out of his sin – even by God” (Ross).
When we harbor wrong motives and intentions, any attempts to please the Father are, at best, mere wishful thinking and, at worst, self-deceptive, delusional vanity. Motives and intentions are similar but different. A motive refers to the underlying reason or driving force behind a decision or action. It is the “why” we act the way we do. An intention is the goal or outcome behind a decision. It is the “what” or “how” of our choices.
1 John 3:12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.
God explained to Cain that obedience brings blessings, yet Cain allowed envy and resentment to overwhelm him. His anger escalated to murder, as Cain chose to ignore what was right and let sin seize control over his actions.
Genesis 4:7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.
Sin is depicted as a relentless predator, lying in wait to strike. It crouches in the shadows, waiting to pounce. The Hebrew term rabats conveys this imagery, suggesting a “creature lying in wait to ambush with stealth and secrecy.” It has the connotation, “If you do what is wrong, then sin is ready to destroy you” (UBS).
The Hebrew word teshuqah is often translated as “control.” Teshuqah frequently means to desire, crave, long for, or dominate. It implies a desire to dominate, much like a beast ready to devour. In this context, sin is personified as seeking to control Cain. Instead of resisting, he succumbs, leading to the tragic act of fratricide.
After the evil deed was done, the Father came calling. He confronted Cain, asking pointedly about Abel. The Father was not seeking information. as He already knew. It was an opportunity for Cain to come clean, confess and take responsibility.
Genesis 4:9 Afterward, the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
God’s question cuts to the core. Cain’s response was dismissive, lacking empathy, cold, uncaring, sarcastic, and evasive. He lied and refused to take responsibility.
Cain faced a choice: let sin dominate him or master it. The decision was his to make.
The same is true for each child of the King.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯4-06-1
© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 