Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

“Envy” according the Webster’s dictionary is a feeling of discontent at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another. It describes one who complains discontentedly or murmurs at another’s prosperity. It is to fret or grieve at the real or supposed superiority of another, and hence to hate the person on that account. The Bible tells us that the character of Christian love dispels the entanglement of “envy” but exhibits a calm contentment of the heart at the supposed inequalities of life.

Jesus taught His disciples “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This teaching of benevolence is the outworking of this character of kindness. How is it that when we give, we lose something that we have given away and yet we are more blessed? This truth has to be understood by faith. I believe this is true and therefore I do as instructed and experience God’s greater blessing. This is a perspective that is beyond the carnal mind. It can be understood only in the context of God’s supernatural love, as it was injected into our blood stream, enabling us to give sacrificially and unconditionally. We are in our natural self, self-seeking and self-satisfying. This change is the power of the gospel experienced when the believer put to death the old man and put on the new man.

The Christian’s love is characterized by kindness. The root word for “kindness” means “to furnish what is needed, useful and profitable”. This word is translated as “good” as opposed to bad in 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” And in Luke 6:35 this word is also translated “kind”, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”

The biblical character Joseph, described in the Book of Genesis, was sold at 16 by his jealous brothers as a slave to Egypt. He had to undergo great sufferings as a slave. He was thrown into jail because he acted righteously against the advances of his master’s wife. Subsequently, he was given wisdom to interpret the dream of Pharaoh. God helped him to make good to be released from prison and promoted to 2nd in command to manage the coming famine that he predicted from Pharaoh’s dream.

This love is described as one that suffers, having to bear or endure what is painful and having to undergo distress inflicted by others. The King James translator adds the adjective “long” to describe the enduring nature of this patience. In this context, it describes the believer as exhibiting patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs inflicted by others (Thayer Lexicon). It is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

The Apostle Paul is getting to the bottom of the matter when he asks the Corinthian Christians to check their motives for all their good works. Is it done with a genuine and sincere heart for the good of honouring and glorying God and in the spirit of true love? If it is not, the greatest deeds of charity of giving away all our goods to feed the poor and giving our body at the stake to be burned will be to avail in the sight of God.

The Apostle Paul is citing the worth of the Christian walk. The Christian faith is an expression of God’s love. He concluded that he is not valuable as an instrument for God’s glory if he does not exercise charity. This word “charity” in our text describes the outworking of God’s love in the life of a believer. This love is both unconditional and sacrificial as exemplified by Jesus’ life as the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all…”