Genesis 37:3-4 NIV [3] Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. [4] When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Here again we have a case of envy and a story we know well. Joseph's brothers hated him so much that they wanted to kill him. It was only because Benjamin convinced them not to, but to sell him into slavery, that his life was spared. We know how that ended as well. God used Joseph in the end to help his family come to Egypt and avoid starvation during the drought that hit the Promise Land. Most people do not allow their envy to end in murder, but it can end in the killing of a person's reputation or the loss of a job because of lies. Property has been vandalized or destroyed out of envy. We keep hearing over and over again in the Bible that those who have much are not more loved by God but rather are held more responsible for sharing what they have so that those without may have what they need. In my experience, it is those who have less that are more generous and willing to share the little they have. When my sister and I were working with a group in Tanzania, one of the men was so grateful for what the group was doing in helping with education and health care that he slaughtered one of his goats so that we could have a good lunch. The generosity of the people was amazing. It was the same in Haiti with people who had suffered the effects of earthquakes and hurricanes, but still were willing to share what they had. Perhaps we need to examine our priorities and not judge ourselves in relation to others, or feel that we are somehow less if we don't have as much as someone else. May we feel only gratitude that you love us as we are, and learn to love ourselves as well.