Some of us, from time to time, may have shown certain behaviour which can be really childish or even downright stupid. The reality is that we don’t really gain anything from such behaviour, and yet we fail to acknowledge how silly we really are. One such behaviour is jealousy. Jealousy occurs due to thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, concern, and envy over relative lack of possessions, status or something of great personal value.When we allow ourselves to succumb to jealousy, we become blinded in pursuing what one lacks, leading us to childish or silly behaviour, which could even lead us to the point of committing great evil or despicable acts.
In today’s reading, the Jews were so consumed with jealousy, that they began to act childish, silly and stupid, and they began to use blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. From acting childish, silly and stupid, the Jews allowed jealousy to turn into violent behaviour, where they “worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory.” Such uncontrolled jealousy eventually led to more evil and harm committed, where there is nothing to gain and everything to lose.
What about us? Have some of us become like the Jews, so jealous that we have lost our sense of what is right, just, proper and fair? Has our pride and ego become more important than doing the will of God? May we check ourselves and avoid being entrapped or enslaved by the poison of jealousy, and give glory to God in all we say and do.