Eye for Beauty
Or, The Worst Shade of Green: Envy as the Enemy of Participating in Beauty
Artists seek beauty. We chase it in form, in color, in word, in sound. We delight in it, or at least, we want to. But there’s a threat that lurks around beauty, seeking to destroy the pursuit.
It’s envy.
Envy is not just a petty feeling or a sassy trait; it is a spiritual disease that can rot the soul of an artist. It twists our love of beauty until we only love what we can possess. It makes someone else’s glory feel like personal loss, whispering that we’re being robbed when someone else is being blessed.
It springs up when we least expect it. Have you ever caught that internal toddler crying out NOT FAIR!? You scroll past someone’s “booked it” post, their short film wins another award, or they share a life announcement. Tis the season for graduation, new job announcements, vacations, and weddings…
You still like the post but you feel somehow indignant?
Envy is not the same thing as noticing injustice. Envy doesn’t want things to be right; it wants me to be on top. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:16). Justice brings order, while envy is destructive.
Do I love fashion, or feeling the most fashionable? Do I want to make beautiful art, or be the one whose art gets applause? Envy shows up when you see someone’s popularity, their clean and well-decorated home; when you perceive their thriving career, their peaceful family, their exciting opportunities, or their seemingly effortless success.
Envy discredits the excellence of others. It’s easier to accuse someone of being shallow, insincere, or privileged than to admit that they might simply be good. Sometimes we even begin to hate the very things we once longed for, simply because someone else got them first. Sometimes we try to soothe our envy blaming our circumstances at the expense of someone else’s success: “I don’t have what she has. If I did, I would accomplish what she has, and more!” Envy tells you that the only reason they succeeded is because they had it easy.
Envy takes us out of healthy growth and collaboration. This line of thinking separates us from gaining inspiration from peers or gaining potential mentors. Instead of: Wow, that scene was incredible. I want to learn from her. Envy isolates: If you had that role, you would have been incredible too… that should be you up there.
Sexual sin often begins with the same lie. Don’t covet your neighbor’s wife isn’t just a command against desire, but against resentment. Envy says, that should have been mine, and the (minimum) cost is corrupting whatever beauty might have grown in your own life.
At its core, envy accuses God of injustice.
Jesus poses a hard question to those who complained about generosity, “Do you have a bad eye because I am good?” (Matthew 20:15). In the parable, the master pays every labourer the same wage, even though some worked longer hours than others. It’s not the pay itself that offends the early workers, it’s how they perceive the deservingness of their later fellow laborers. Their grievance isn’t about justice, but about comparison. In turn, the master claims they aren’t cheated, but envious.
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?” - Matthew 20:15
The “bad eye” is a biblical image for envy and stinginess, a distorted way of seeing others and God’s blessings. In this case, it’s a refusal to rejoice in someone else’s undeserved favor. The same way someone can share God’s eye for beauty, we can exchange it for a bad eye of envy.
This is where envy takes root: when we start believing that God’s goodness toward others threatens or diminishes His goodness toward us. It doubts that God knows how to distribute gifts. We’re not talking about the great injustices of a fallen world and seeking equity. Instead of loving your neighbor, it’s believing God gave your neighbor what He should have given you. This lie assumes a “fixed pie” of glory. That there’s only so much to go around, so if someone else has it, there’s less left for you.
But God doesn’t work like that! His glory multiplies and He is endlessly creative. Beauty given to one doesn’t diminish what He can give another. When we want God’s goodness to be limited to us, we become Jonah, complaining, I knew You were gracious and merciful! The heart of envy resents the goodness of God, His very nature! Like Jonah, He asks us… “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4).
It’s not enough to root out envy; we have to cultivate fruit. In spiritual discipline, it takes time and effort to replace natural self-centeredness with love. Paul writes high demands for Christian virtue:
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” - Romans 12:9-16
The word for sincere in the Greek literally means “no-hypocrisy.” A hypocrite was an actor wearing a mask on stage. Our love should have no masking. That’s a high ask. Thankfully, there are practical ways to learn sincere love.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Recognize and hate the lies of envy. Instead, marry yourself to what’s good! Choose your company wisely and surround yourself with people who celebrate beauty without needing to hoard it or discredit others.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves… Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality… be willing to associate with people of low position…
Stay in community. Channel competitive nature into “outdoing” each other in honor. Hospitality creates beauty for the purpose of blessing other people; this includes taking care of people who can’t give you anything.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…
Yikes. To battle envy, guard how you allow yourself to speak. It doesn’t cut it to rely on,“nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Practice speaking well of people, even those who genuinely have it out for you.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer…
Ask God to bless the very people you envy, or those who you feel envy you. Intercede for them; it’s harder to resent someone you’re lifting up in prayer.
Faithfully thank God for your gifts; be as specific as your envious thoughts. Practice daily, or hourly, gratitude for the good in your life. Name them. Write them down. Speak them out loud. Instead of trying to make yourself believe “I am enough,” declare that God Himself is enough, that you trust Him, and you recognize what He has done and is doing.
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord…
God doesn’t ask us to disconnect or stop caring. From the word for speed: our zeal, our diligence, our earnestness should never be lacking. The New Life Version says it plainly, “Do not be lazy but always work hard.” Envy actually takes a lot of effort. Instead of looking at others, get busy using the gifts you do have!
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn…
Reading the room requires looking at others. See what season someone is in and be with them.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud… Do not be conceited.
When envy pops up, question what it is you think you’re owed. Maybe you worked hard, but who gave you the strength? The training? The intellect or the talent? Crucify the self-righteousness — the pride — that believes you’re the source of your blessings.
The word translated to “live in harmony” has to do with our thoughts, our sentiments, opinions, and how we regard or consider others. ESV continues the passage this way, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:16-21). When we’re tempted by envy’s lie, “that should be mine,” we can call on God, our Provider and Defender.
“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” - James 3:14-18
God wants us to participate in beauty. He has good works, prepared in advance, for each of us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Envy will try to convince you that someone else’s glory diminishes your own and that beauty is a scarce resource. Instead, God invites us into something better… to love sincerely, to rejoice when others reflect His glory, to live in and build community, to let our creative work have eternal significance. He promises us so much more than we deserve.
