Mark 15:10 – “For Pilate knew that the High Priests had delivered Him (Jesus) because of ENVY.”

As I was reading, praying, and pondering the Word of God today, several things impacted my heart.  One is the blindness of people due to personal bias.  Some call it single-issue voting, but abortion requires dehumanizing the life in the womb.

In Luke 1:15, Gabriel declared of John the Baptist that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit IN THE WOMB.   If that is not life, what is it?  In verse 41, we read that when Mary arrived at the home of Elizabeth, the Babe leaped in Elizabeth’s womb.

It did not say ‘fetus’ but ‘baby,’ indicating life.   In verse 44, Elizabeth said that the baby in her womb leaped with great joy.   Blobs of tissue don’t have great joy, but people do.  People use willful blindness as a salve for their conscience.

Another thing was the incredible power of ENVY.   In 1 Samuel 18:9, we read that King Saul began to ENVY David.   We envy what we do not have and cannot do.   Each of us is unique, with unique gifts and callings.  We are a family in Christ, and envy is a fruit of covetousness.

In Mark 15:10, “For Pilate knew that the high priests had delivered Him (Jesus) because of ENVY.”   They loved the spotlight, the preeminence, and power.   Jesus siphoned that from them, and they hated him for it.

Today, people hate for the same reasons.   Envy, jealousy, covetousness, and selfishness are clogs in the pipeline of life.   If we pursue the two great commandments, we will be protected from the destruction of Envy.   We are to love God with our ALL and love our neighbor as ourselves.   Envy cannot love others because it is too focused on self.

If we truly love God with our ALL and our neighbor as ourselves, we do not focus on our lack (opening the door to covetousness and envy) but on God’s goodness.  We can rejoice that God blessed others, confident that His love has no partiality.

Remember the promise, “But my God shall supply ALL of your needs according to His riches in Glory.”   I may not have what others have materially, but I have Jesus, and I am kept!  His presence is my abundance!   He will sustain me!   What another has or is doing is cause to rejoice, not envy.  I am content that God will give me or allow me to do what I can be a good steward of.   He knows what is best for the kingdom.  He is my reward!

Rejoice in His Goodness, not your seeming lack.  This is the Day the Lord has made, and we have reason to rejoice!