JEALOUSY: THE GREEN EYED MONSTER

According to wikipedia, the free encyclopidea dictionary Jealousy is an emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, particularly in reference to a human connection. Jealousy often consists of a combination of presenting emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness and disgust. It is not to be confused with envy.
Jealousy is a familiar experience in human relationships. It has been observed in infants five months and older. Some claim that jealousy is seen in every culture; however, others claim jealousy is a culture-specific phenomenon.

"The only Scriptures that give me any trouble," said Mark Twain, "are those I fully understand."
And I suppose a lot of people may be troubled by the words of this scripture when they fully understand its meaning:
Jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire.
(Song of Solomon 8:6)
Like the grave, jealousy intrudes upon all ages and sexes and types and conditions of humanity. Jealousy IS cruel as the grave.
It was Shakespeare who said:

"O beware of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster
That doth mock the meat it feeds upon."

I. ITS COMMONNESS
Have you ever felt the fire of jealousy in your heart? Has this serpent ever hissed in your ear? Has "getting to the top" so possessed you that hearing your nearest rival publicly praised causes you pain? Is there someone whose attractiveness and popularity you secretly hate? Is there "someone special" who is superior to you and their advancement causes you to secretly desire their public humiliation? Is there even one, solitary person in this world whose affection you fear might be turning to someone else? Then, beware of jealousy!
Jealousy! Its empire extends from the brute creation to man, the prince of creation. The first crime that stained the first pages of human history was committed by a jealous man. Cain was the first human ever born through humanity itself. And Cain became so insanely jealous of his own brother, Abel, that he murdered him.
Jealousy knows no boundaries, no limits. It is common to all people everywhere and in all walks of life. It is common among brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, in-laws, lovers, friends, business associates and even preachers of the gospel.
II. ITS COST
Jealousy does cost. It's expensive. Jealousy uncovers bottomless pits of wickedness in people, provoking them to even the most horrible of crimes. Jealousy lures the soul on to a fierce banquet of suspicion and hate, only to torture it with starvation.
Solomon said in Proverbs 27:4 (NIV) – Who can stand before jealousy?
As a moth gnaws a garment, so does jealousy gnaw at one's spiritual vitals until it destroys him. The jealous person poisons his own banquet – and then eats it.
Jealousy is like a boomerang. It always comes home to haunt you, then to hurt you.
Shakespeare said, "No, not the hangman's axe bears half the keenness of thy sharp envy."
I challenge you to show me a jealous person who is a happy person. Jealousy hurts the attacker more than the attacked. It ravages the nobler instincts of a man or woman and prods them and prompts them to become the kind of person who hates themselves and everybody else. Jealousy really is as cruel as the grave.
III. ITS CURES
The time to attack jealousy is when you first feel the heat of its blistering fire. Just as thousands of lives could be saved each year from malignant cancer through early diagnosis and treatment, multiplied thousands of people could have a right relationship with themselves, with others, and with God if they would attack this green-eyed monster – jealousy – when it first rears its ugly head.
It isn't easy to slay a monster. And especially a green-eyed monster like jealousy. But it must be done. And it should begin right now.
I offer these five simple suggestions to cure jealousy and slay the monster:

1) Stop living within yourself entirely. Start doing something for God, and/or for someone else, without even the slightest thought of any return.

2) Get involved in God's work. It's too big and too critically important to be annoyed or destroyed by petty jealousies.

3) Apply the golden rule. "Do unto others as if you were the 'others'."

4) Cultivate the presence of Jesus in your life moment by moment.

5) Open up your life and start giving.

Where God's love dwells in all its fullness, there is no room for jealousy. Then and only then will your life become a life of peace instead of pieces.

BEWARE OF JEALOUSY THE GREEN EYED MONSTER................