Snipers In Our Midst

      If you are not familiar with the story of U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle from Odessa, Texas, you should be. He was a true American hero who saw his primary role as protecting his fellow soldiers. He took that responsibility seriously and became one of the most lethal snipers in American history. His pinpoint accuracy as a sniper is legendary. Unfortunately, on Feb. 2, 2013, Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh while driving to the shooting range in Erath County, Texas. In the burial procession to Austin (over 200 miles), hundreds of people, many waving American flags, lined Interstate 35 to view the passing procession and to pay their final respects to Kyle.

      Four months after murdering Kyle and Littlefield, Routh stated, “I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me. They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them. I feel bad about it, but they wouldn’t talk to me. I’m sure they’ve forgiven me.” The sad reality here is that apparently, neither Kyle nor Littlefield were expecting those fatal shots to come from the back seat of that truck. These military-trained specialists, experts in their field, had a shooter in their midst and were unaware of the imminent danger. Had Routh attacked from the front, he probably would not have been successful.

      The devil works covertly, also. His methods are usually much more like the hidden camouflaged sniper who is getting his scope zeroed in on the victim’s heart. Jesus taught in Mark 7:21-22, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” Listen to what James 3:16 says, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” The issue is your heart, and the devil loves to aim his efforts at your desires, passions, emotions and selfish nature.

      One sin that seems to fly under the radar for many believers is the sin of envy. Pilate saw it in the hearts of the religious leaders who sought to have Jesus executed in Mark 15:10, “For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered him (Jesus) for envy.” Think about Joseph in Acts 7:9, “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him.” Listen to Paul in Acts 13:45, “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.” Envy is a very insidious enemy aimed at the heart.

      The Pharisees and religious leaders in Jesus’ day were envious because people began listening and following Jesus more than they were listening and following them. Are you envious of another preacher or teacher? Joseph’s brothers were envious because Joseph was given gifts and recognition they were not receiving. Are you envious of what a church did for their pastor that yours has not done for you? Are you envious of some special recognition your “brother” received but you have never received? Paul said in Gal. 5:26, “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

      In Envy: A Big Problem You Didn’t Know You Had, Mike Fabarez does an excellent job of exposing this deceptive sin that can sneak up on you when you least expect it. Mike stated, “When we envy, we declare an unspoken war of wishing, hoping and subtly working to put those undeserving advantaged people in their place.” You know, those people who got what we believe we should have received. We ask in our own hearts, “Why them, and why not me?” We begin thinking things like, “That’s not fair,” “How come they are doing so much better than me?” or “I deserve that more than they do!”

      Mike continued, “…when a sin like this gets a foothold in our thinking, it will inevitably damage relationships — not just in our families and in our circle of friends, but also in our churches…” Mike defined envy like this: “Envy goes further than just wanting what someone else has; it is begrudging, frustrating consternation that thatperson has it.” Envy is the resentment you have because of the blessings, advantages and opportunities others have that you believe you deserve and rightfully belong to you. Envy is like the “camouflaged sniper… hiding in the grass with their deadly weapons muted with a silencer.”

      Paul addressed this issue in I Cor. 3:3, “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men.” Later in I Cor. 13:4, Paul told this church, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” Envy causes you to continually say things like Saul in I Sam. 18:8-9, “…They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” Who are you giving the “evil envy eye” to?

      Mike Fabarez described how envy works: “It is the recurring sizing up of someone who seems to be getting what we used to have, want to have or wish we had more of.” Envy robs you of the ability to rejoice and celebrate with others when they are blessed, promoted, recognized, complimented or given something you believe should have been given to you. There are viruses lurking in the shadows of leaders’ hearts — celebrity-ism, consumerism, competition, and maybe the more silent joy killer, comparison, envying what others have that you believe you must have to be “happy.”

      Leaders, envy is a sniper just waiting for the opportunity to fire its darts into your heart at any opportune moment. If you want to hear more on this topic, go to healthychurchpodcast.com and listen to episode #218 or get Mike Fabarez’s book on Envy.