At the root of envy lies a distorted theology. It imagines a God who rations blessing like bread in famine.
If someone else is favored, I must be forgotten. If they flourish, I must diminish.
This is not merely a psychological problem. It is a vision of God too small to be trusted.
A Brief History of Scarcity
The envy–scarcity connection is as old as humanity, but it has been reinforced by cultural narratives across time:
- In the ancient world, gods were believed to compete. To gain favor from one meant risking jealousy from another. Blessing was unstable, precarious.
- In medieval hierarchies, status and resources were zero-sum. Nobility thrived only because peasants did not. Envy flourished where opportunity was locked behind birthright.
- In modern economics, competition became creed: markets thrive on scarcity, demand is manipulated, and success is measured by outpacing rivals.
- In the digital age, algorithms amplify comparison. Social media trains us daily in scarcity: your worth shrinks or swells with every like, follow, or highlight reel.
Scarcity is not only an ancient whisper — it is a modern discipline. We are catechized into it.
Envy in the Story of Scripture
Envy is one of the first human sins named after the Fall.
- Cain envies Abel’s offering and kills him (Genesis 4).
- Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery out of jealousy (Genesis 37).
- Saul resents David’s songs of praise and descends into paranoia (1 Samuel 18).
James sums it bluntly:
“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16)
Envy always breeds violence, disorder, and decay. It corrodes relationships because it assumes blessing is limited.
The Abundance of God
Against this backdrop, the gospel is astonishing.
God is not a rationer. He is the Creator who speaks worlds into being and calls them “very good.”
Jesus reveals a Father of overflowing abundance:
- Water to wine — gallons beyond what the wedding required (John 2).
- Loaves and fish multiplied — with baskets left over (Mark 6).
- Living water promised — not trickling, but springing up (John 4).
- The Spirit poured out — not in measure, but without limit (John 3:34).
In Christ, blessing is not diminished by distribution. Grace multiplies. Love expands. Mercy renews daily.
Gratitude as Resistance
Gratitude, then, is not shallow optimism. It is theological rebellion against the lie of scarcity.
To give thanks is to declare:
- God is not holding out on me.
- Their blessing is not my loss.
- I have enough, because He is enough.
Each act of gratitude breaks envy’s hold. It reframes life not as competition, but as communion.
Why This Matters
Scarcity makes us competitors.
Abundance makes us family.
When identity is rooted in scarcity, others’ joy is a threat.
When identity is rooted in Christ’s abundance, others’ joy becomes your joy. Their flourishing no longer subtracts from you; it multiplies grace.
This is the logic of the kingdom:
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)
A generous eye sees abundance. A jealous eye sees lack. One leads to life; the other corrodes it.
Reflection
- Where do I instinctively believe God’s goodness is scarce?
- Whose blessing do I experience as my diminishment?
- What practice of gratitude could re-train my vision this week?