Introduction
The real difficulty with envy is that the person who commits this sin deludes him or herself into believing that he is right to be angry (Jonah 4.3). The person who sulks wants to make those around – usually the nearest and dearest – feel bad. Jonah tries this on God. In fact, the story is extremely clever because the prophet has invented what appears to be a story against himself in order to highlight the danger, and ultimately the ridiculousness, of trying to influence God by this kind of bad behaviour. And clearly, those who labour in the vineyard envy God’s generosity towards those who have worked only an hour.
The ancient sin of Genesis 4 is there. ‘The Lord said to Cain, ’Why are you angry and why has your countenance fallen?...sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you’ (Genesis 4.6-7).
Context
Envy is all around in public life. David Cameron’s closest colleagues turned against him to support Brexit and to take over as leader. Having toppled him they fell out among themselves, leaving the only person who hadn’t entered this conflict to take over as Prime Minister. Now the battle for the leadership is on again with Boris Johnson’s article in The Telegraph and the aftermath.
Still, there appears to be no plan for Brexit, just envy of other players, and increasingly envy of what the rest of Europe appears to have which Britain will be losing. Readers of The Telegraph will find that Jacob Rees-Mogg sees it differently.
To see the silly side of envy, we need only look at the women who are spending thousands on plastic surgery to look like Melania Trump. Or, we may see it in a family squabble headlined as ‘Queen adviser’s downfall ‘linked to snub’ for Prince Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie’.
In the aftermath of the latest terrorist incident in London, we have to ask why people given safety and a home in Britain, as well as disaffected nationals, turn against society.
Could the motive simply be envy of those who appear to have a comfortable lifestyle by people who realise that achieving it is actually very hard?
At the same time life is hard, and workers, such as those in the parable, may feel there is just cause to be aggrieved. Contemporary examples include:
- Public sector workers whose pay has not kept pace with inflation for many years
- People on zero hours contracts. Their lot is worse than that of the people standing in the market place, because they can’t take a new job offer as it will make them lose the chance of the zero hours job.
- Former students paying back loans who feel ripped off by the government. Their debt increases at a high rate of interest when the bank rate is practically zero.
- People here told that the pension age will have to rise, and people in France demonstrating against a similar reduction in what the government sees as an unsustainable benefits package.
Feeling resentment is all too easy.
Reflection
Treating the story of Jonah as though it were a historical event misses the whole point of this wonderfully instructive parable. Envy is a deadly sin. Resentment at the good fortune of others, and sulking because we don’t get exactly what we want are the pitfalls which the story reveals. We learn and remember because we laugh at Jonah, and we must learn to laugh at ourselves when we see ourselves tempted to imitate him. It is a great story for children. The line ‘God appointed a worm’ is priceless!
Jonah’s story reveals that, as in Genesis 4.7, ‘sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.’ Certainly this is the danger for those workers in the vineyard who expect more pay than those who worked only an hour. Of course, we appreciate the point they make, and Jesus’ parable does not spell out the consequences of our envy either so clearly, or so humorously, as Jonah does.
Like many parables, Jonah’s story remains unfinished. After his first mistake, he repents (Jonah 2). After the prodigal son returns in Luke’s Gospel we don’t know whether the older brother will join the feast, or whether he sulks like Jonah. God forgives, and if we resent his forgiveness, we shut ourselves out of his love.
Prayer
Lord, open our eyes to see ourselves as you see us.
Prick the bubble of our self-righteousness.
Take away the green lenses from our envious eyes.
May we see the mote in our own eye, before wanting to take out the speck from our neighbour’s.
May we know our failings and laugh at our foolishness,
confess them with a humble heart,
and know the joy of your forgiveness.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
Questions
- Can you tell a story against yourself, as Jonah did?
- How do people get their own way by sulking? Do you try it?
Action
Is there any resentment which you harbour which you can shed? Would reading Jonah 4 to yourself help?
Young people
The questions above are not age-specific. It is essential to realise that the prophet Jonah is not the idiot he portrays, but the clever story-teller!
Tom Ambrose is a retired priest working in the Parish of the Ascension, Cambridge.
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