Sunday Sermonettes #057
You work. But why? There are many motives. Passion, necessity, financial needs and benefits, good work environment, career goals and growth, networking opportunities, social status, and so many other motives influence our work. But none of us thought about envy to be included in the list. Because it is hidden.
Envy Leaves You Empty
King Solomon attempted many things “under the sun.” He found out one thing in these pursuits:
“And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Envy is a resentful desire for something another person has. It is about wanting what belongs to someone else. In modern AI language envy is: “I don’t have it. You have it. I wish it were mine.”
Solomon tried to achieve great things which gave a man power, fame, wealth, possessions, entertainment, status and so on. Yet it left him empty because he worked just for his pleasure and for earthly things.
So why do we work? Is it because there is a purpose in our work? Or is it because we are envious? With the word envy comes to mind the iconic advertisement of Onida TV in the 1980’s / 90’s “Neighbour’s envy; owner’s pride.”
Comparisons and Envy
Competition, comparison, better pay or work environment, rivalry, the constant pressure to outdo or outsmart others all can fuel the way you work. But most of these things will not satisfy. This becomes a chasing after the wind; a futile effort.
In this age where visuals speak louder than words, all the glitter and glamour seen on social media often fuels comparisons and envy. Then work loses its joy and it just becomes a job and not a calling.
Comparisons make you strive more and you end up chasing money which can sprout wings and fly away. Even close relationships suffer in this pursuit.
Trying to be better than your neighbour, trying to outsmart and outshine him or her in every respect can be fuelled by envy. It sounds hollow; its motivation is like building a castle on sand.
So the lesson is to have a close look at your heart. You might work to provide for your family. That is a genuine pursuit. At the same time, just be watchful if envy is fuelling your work.
Finding Meaning in Your Work
We are not supposed to be lazy. At the same time we should not be driven by envy to over work, lose our mental health, and peace of mind in the process. When someone gets promoted, and you don’t get it, and you long for it; envy might be just lurking at your doorstep.
Joy is absent when negative attitudes dominate our pursuit of work. It is tragic that in today’s world, work comes with a lot of heartaches, disappointments, stress, toxic work cultures, mental and other forms of harassment, and lot more negatives.
What Solomon is saying, is to bring God into the equation of work. And that will give your work greater meaning.
God still provides. He has limitless resources and channels to bring you his blessings and provide for what you need in life. Trust in his wisdom and timing.
Then you can work with passion: with a sense of joy, a sense of purpose, a sense of calling, and with that good sense of peaceful contentment in life.
Featured image courtesy: Photo by Apunto Group Agencia de publicidad on Pexels
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