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Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. (Acts 5:17-18, NIV)

These verses were a small part of the Scriptures read last Sunday during our pastor’s sermon. While his message was on something entirely different, these seemed to jump out at me immediately. The Sadducees controlled the Temple system during the time of Christ. They were part of the priestly class at that time. While they were powerful and opposed Jesus and His teachings, they did not have great favor or influence with the people. (information found in The NLT Study Bible, page 1610). To see the apostles gaining any recognition or favor or influence with the people incited them to jealousy.

Jealousy, as described in the New Testament Lexical Aids of the Key Word Study Bible, is “an honorable feeling which may degenerate into a desire to make war upon the good it sees in another. It will cause trouble in an effort to diminish the good it see in another.” Did you notice that jealousy should be an honorable feeling? We should be jealous for the good of each other not of the good in each other. Jealousy drove the Sadducees to seek to diminish the good they in the apostles and in what they were doing.

cover-hardI am currently reading a copy of Clout: Discover And Unleash Your God-Given Influence by Jenni Catron. Although I am not yet finished with the book, I know this will be a book that I purchase for myself once it is available January 21st. In the meantime, I am thoroughly enjoying and absorbing the preview pdf. Chapter Three, in its entirety, deals with the issue of jealousy and influence.

Here are a few of the points that Jenni writes:

  • Jealousy diminishes our credibility. Jealousy will cause us to lose the very influence that we are desperately trying to maintain.
  • Jealousy sabotages our influence when we fear losing our influence to another person who shares our arena.
  • Jealousy is like a cancer that eats away at everything that is good in our relationships.
  • Jealousy makes other people – even people we like and respect – our enemies.
  • Jealousy will tempt us to diminish the worth of others.
  • Jealousy is dangerous to our own souls.

So what are we to do when we find jealousy beginning to rear its ugly head in our lives?

The best way to combat the negative progression of these clout killers is to go the opposite direction by affirming and celebrating the influence of others…..The irony of celebrating others’ gifts is that we actually begin to find more value in our own. (page 66)

Affirm one another. Encourage one another to grow and develop in one’s gifts and area of influence. Celebrate each another. In so doing, you will stop the sin of jealousy from creeping into your own heart.

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealous is like cancer in the bones. (Proverbs 14:30, NLT)

There is no place for jealousy in leadership.

Celebrate the abilities of one another.

A book review and giveaway will be happening here later this month when the book is released.

Today I am joining with … Sharing His Beauty and Playdates With God and  Create With Joy and Making Your Home Sing and Mom’s Mon. Mingle and Living Proverbs 31 and Mon. Musings and Mommy Mon. and Motivation Mon. and Inspire Me Mon. and The Modest Mom .