Pursue Peace by Fighting Envy - CULTIVATE HUMILITY AND CONTENTMENT

We can fight envy by cultivating humility and contentment.  When our heart is full of these good qualities, envy will have no room to grow.  Humility will help us not to think too highly of ourselves. A humble person does not feel that he deserves more  than everyone else. (Galatians 6:3, 4)  Someone who is content is satisfied with what he has and does not compare  himself with others.. (1 Timothy 6:7, 8)   When a person who is humble and content sees someone receive something good, he is happy for him. 

We need the help of God's holy spirit if we are avoid the fleshly trait of envy and instead cultivate humility and contentment. (Read Galatians 5:16; Philippians 2:3, 4) Jehovah's holy spirit can help us to examine our innermost thoughts and motives.  With God's help, we can replace harmful thoughts and feelings with up-building ones. (Psalm 26:2; 51:10)  Consider the examples of Moses and Paul, men who successfully fought the tendency to envy. 

Moses had a lot authority over God's people, but he did not jealously guard that privilege.  For example, on one occasion, Jehovah took away some of his holy spirit from Moses and gave it to a group of Israelite elders who were standing near the tent of meeting.  Shortly thereafter, Moses heard that two elders who had not gone out to the tent of meeting had also received holy spirit and had begun to behave as prophets.  How did he react when Joshua asked him to restrain the two elders? Moses did not become envious of the attention these two men were getting from Jehovah.  Instead, he humbly rejoiced with them in their privilege.  (Numbers 11:24-29) What lesson can we learn from Moses?

If you are an elder, have you ever been asked to train someone else to care for a privilege in the congregation that you truly love?   For example, you might love the privilege  of conducting the Watchtower Study each week. But if you are humble like Moses, you will not feel threatened if you are asked to train another brother so that, in time, he will able to handle this privilege.  Instead you will happy to help your brother.

Next time: Pursue Peach by Fighting Envy- Conclusion of  CULTIVATE HUMILITY AND CONTENTMENT

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