What is Jealousy doing to your life? Are you a Cain or Abel? Seek the Better way !

AND it CAME to PASS – DEVOTIONALS
MONDAY – December 30, 2024 – Prepared by Pastor Calvin Cook

Genesis 4:8 – (KJV) “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

When I was in management for one of the former companies I was employed by. I had a very talented young man fresh out of college who worked for the company, under my supervision. This young man was very likeable, accepted by the people he worked with, and great with the public, and had a deep faith life. I often think of this young man and wonder where he is today. Probably working for a Fortune 500 Company.

The problem was there were a couple of the seasoned and tenured employees that didn’t like him. Highlighted all his faults and caused great confusion with the other employees whenever they were assigned to work with this exemplary employee. Soon accusations and assumptions began to fester, and others were turned against this young man. Finally, I had to talk with the employees that were causing the problem and tell them to “cool it” or find employment elsewhere. They could not believe I was willing to sacrifice their experience and commitment and the self-acclaimed great job they had done for this “wimp” as they described him.

Knowing at that time that jobs were not easy to come by they decided it was best to learn to get along and soon realized that this young man made them look good in their performance of the job they were required to do as a team. Drama quelched, harmony restored.

I thought about this situation as I read about the story of Cain and Abel. Realizing that Cain became so jealous of Abel and what he had brought as an offering and how he was pleasing God. Unfortunately, this happens almost routinely within society and in the church. How hard someone is working, the aspects of devotion, even many times how they serve the Lord, there is always someone who finds fault with them and the sin of jealousy and hatred is stirred and creates a dangerous situation. God does call us to forgiveness and repentance and yet we don’t think we stand in need of it personally because we are so busy seeing the faults of everyone else. This is why redemption is so important.

And it will come to pass, that when we follow God’s will, receive God’s revelation to us, and experience God and love others the way God loves us, the purpose of God will be restored in our life. I invite you, challenge you to set aside personal motives and explore in your own life what God is calling you to. I would say it is little how we live, think and have our being. This I believe is God’s desire for all of us. Peace to you! Allow God’s love to overwhelm you as you relinquish your pride, animosity, and jealousy and replace it with more of God.

For more on the story of Cain and Abel read Genesis 4.