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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: I am a hard worker but have never been able to get ahead in life. I have a good friend who is successful at everything she touches. She is a really good person, she never flaunts her success, and she is very generous to me. After I am with her a while I am undone and unsatisfied with my life. I am happy for her, sad for me, but I find myself talking against her. Is this jealousy getting the best of me? — J.A.

Dear J.A.:  Envy has many names. It’s sometimes called “the green-eyed monster,” that has wrecked so many people. It creeps in unexpectedly and slays us before we know it.
Jealousy comes in many forms. Some people are jealous because others are more handsome or more beautiful than they are; others are jealous because some of their peers are more popular, or more talented in sports or music, and some are jealous because their friends or family are more successful in business.
Jealousy leads to many other sinful lifestyles, including gossip. The Bible calls the tongue a fire and a world of iniquity. It is one of the smallest members of the body, yet is more powerful and deadly than an atomic bomb.
This sinful nature can be transformed when we give our hearts and souls to Jesus Christ. He will come in and make us new creations and give us a desire to live righteously before Him and among mankind. He puts inside of us His Holy Spirit which penetrates our minds and actions much deeper than the tongue. He exposes our thinking and leads us to repent and turn from sinful thoughts. Think the best of everyone and your life will be cleaner, happier, and more vibrant.
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)