What causes envy?

Genesis 26:12-14When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him.

James 4:2You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

Envy is primarily desiring what we don’t have and jealousy is primarily possessiveness and the fear of losing what we do have (though the words are often used interchangeably). If we are feeling dissatisfied with our situation in life, we may be envying (or wanting in an unhealthy way) the success that others currently seem to enjoy.

Daniel 6:3-4Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

People become envious when they see someone do a better job than they are doing, or perhaps an even better job than they want to do.

Psalm 73:3I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

We can easily envy an evil person who prospers more than those who do what’s right.

Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Trying to keep up with others is both the cause of envy and the fruit of envy.