Last night, we had family over, and I loved the cutest little ten-month-old ever. However, this child is spoiled. I mean spoiled rotten. As his mom was trying to get something accomplished, he wouldn’t leave her side. She couldn’t be out of his sight at all, or the result was crying. Oh, I’ve been there! 

The mother in me couldn’t bear to see her struggle with trying to multitask so, I scooped up the crying baby, carried him into my bedroom, and began to sing him Lully byes while rocking him to sleep. It took some time to get him calm, but we were making progress. 

The room was completely dark, and then in walks Stephen jr. Although I could not see his face, I could sense that something was wrong. He came in and didn’t say a word. I continued to sing to the baby as Stephen walked out. He came back a few moments later, this time with a note that he threw on the bed, and then he was gone again. 

He came in for the third time, asking me how to spell a word. I told him to go to daddy or Jayla to get their help. He did and came back with a second note. By this time, I had worked my charm on the baby, and he was out. I told Stephen to crawl in bed and tell me what his note said since I couldn’t read it in the dark. He said the letter read, mom, you hurt my feelings, you broke my heart, you love the baby and not me, you singing to the baby and not me. Now mind you, Stephen told me earlier that day he wanted a brother. He quickly changed his mind! 

It took some restraint not to laugh at his level of seriousness and jealousy. I was taken back by his reaction. He wouldn’t even come close to me when I usually have to lock him out of my bedroom to keep him from sleeping under me.

As I explained to my child that I will always love him, just because I loved another child didn’t mean that I loved him any less. As you can tell from the picture, he wasn’t trying to hear it. However, while I was explaining this to him, I heard God say jealous Christians. 

See, sometimes Christians can become jealous of other Christians when we see God loving and growing our brother and sister in Christ, even if it’s in the same way he has loved and grown us. We can say with our words that we want God to develop others, yet when we begin to see him work, we can become envious. I am here to remind you and me that God loves us, and we should rejoice when we see God work in the life of someone else. We should encourage their growth and allow God to love them through us. 

“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” James 3:13-16 NLT