Envy- Part 1 – Proverbs 23:17-24:2

What is envy?  Envy is a sin of the heart.  It is strongly associated with the sin of coveting and the tenth commandment, that is illicit longing; as well as jealousy, longing to have what is another’s.  Historically it has been seen as responsible for the depression that comes from others having and not you; as well as the resentment we have towards other because they have and we do not.  Envy has been a strong contender for the title, Mother of all sins.  Because of 1 Timothy 6:10 which translated literally says that the love of money, a form of coveting, is the root of all evil, not all kinds of evils, many have argued that envy could be the mother of all sins.  I will not take you on a side path to show you how interesting and profitable this discussion is, all you need to know is that Pride took the honor of the title.  Envy has not only been seen as a mother-sin but also a fruit of lovelessness.  Dante Alighieri the medieval Poet who authored The Divine Comedy looks at all 7 of the Capital sins as a form of disordered love.  Lust; Gluttony, and Greed are disordered loves to the gifts of sexual intimacy; food and wealth.  Wrath; Envy, and Pride are the opposite of loving our neighbor in seeking their harm.  And Sloth is the lack of love towards others evident in inertia.