Which of the following are similar to the ways you've served Christ in your family? [check all that apply]
• Taught your kids to see God's glory in nature
• Washed the dishes without being asked
• Played a board game with your kids
• Encouraged your wife to finish her master's degree
• Attended a child's open house at school
• Worked fewer hours to be with your family
• Set an example of a godly prayer life for your children
• Held a crying child
• Swung on the tire swing with your daughter
• Told your wife why you're still in love with her
• Told your son he's got what it takes
• Coached soccer
• Let you child correct you now and then
• Fixed the vacuum cleaner
• Taught your sons to ride a bike
• Listened patiently to a complaint of your wife
• Taped your child's artwork to your office wall
• Admitted to your kids that you were wrong
• Told your children how Christ entered your life
• Cleaned up vomit
• Taught your children to love books
• Been romantic without expecting sex
• Told your daughter she's smart/beautiful
• Set standards for your kids and stuck to them
• Dealt graciously with a busybody neighbor
• Peeled carrots
• Watched movies together
Bench Warmer Theme of the Week: Green-Eyed Monster Friday, July 16, 2004
1 of 1
ADVERTISEMENT
Men of IntegrityJuly/August 2004Bench WarmerTheme of the Week: Green-Eyed MonsterFriday, July 1674
Key Bible Verse: For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual … (James 3:15). Bonus Reading:James 3:13—18
"Have you ever played on a team where you spent a lot of time on the bench, watching your team's star player start every game, get the most playing time of anybody, and then also finish the game? You have a choice in that position; either you can be envious or you can decide to be glad he's on your team.
Flipping through a Chris-tian magazine one day, I kept coming across one name advertised for this event, for that cruise, for having written this book, and so on. Then on the best-seller list, his name—Max Lucado—was right there at the top.
I stopped and thought to myself, Why does this guy bug me? I've never met the man, and he bugs me. And just that quickly the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart, "Envy." I was envious of Max Lucado because it was his book that was the number one best-seller and not mine!
Well, I repented immediately, of course. But I discovered the following month, when reading the magazine, that somebody else was best-selling author that month.
I've come to realize that there'll always be somebody more gifted than me. Why can't I rejoice that they're on my team? So, by His grace, that's what I've purposed to do.
—Bob Sorge in EnvyAdapted from Envy: The Enemy Within (Regal, 2003) by permission.
My Response: Who is someone more gifted whom I'm glad to have on my team?
Thought to Apply: Envy is rebellion against God's leading in the lives of His children. It's saying God has no right to bless someone else more than you.
If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless.
1 of 1
