My dear friends,
We often encounter feelings of jealousy when we see others experiencing success, happiness, or spiritual blessings that we desire for ourselves. Yet, as followers on the path of the awakened heart, we are called to confront these feelings not with disdain or self-criticism, but with love and empathetic joy. These two of the Four Immeasurables (brahmaviharas), or "divine abodes", are the antidotes to jealousy, nurturing within us a heart that rejoices in the blessings and well-being of others as if they were our own. Let us reflect on the power of these qualities in light of scripture.
and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and placed them all around the tent.
Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him
and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders,
and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.
But they did not do so again.
Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other named Medad,
and the spirit rested on them;
they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent,
so they prophesied in the camp.
And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."
And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said,
"My lord Moses, stop them!"
But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the Lord's people were prophets
and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!"
- Numbers 11:24-29
"Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,
and we tried to stop him because he was not following us."
But Jesus said, "Do not stop him,
for no one who does a deed of power in my name
will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.
Whoever is not against us is for us.
For truly I tell you,
whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ
will by no means lose the reward."
- Mark 9:38-42
In the passage from Numbers, we witness an expression of empathetic joy in the response of Moses. When Joshua, filled with a sense of jealousy or possessiveness over Moses' unique role, desires to stop others from prophesying, Moses responds not with exclusion, but with a deep, compassionate wish that all might share in the blessings of the spirit. This is the heart of mudita—the ability to rejoice in the happiness and spiritual gifts of others without any sense of competition or envy. Moses, like a true Bodhisattva, delights in the thought that all people might be filled with the spirit of prophecy. In the same way, Jesus' teaching in the Gospel of Mark reveals a similar openness. He rebukes John for trying to create an exclusive boundary around who can act in his name, reminding us that divine blessings and love cannot be limited by our personal attachments.
- 1 Corinthians 13:6
- Philippians 4:4
Paul's words in Corinthians and Philippians echo this same call. Love does not find joy in the failings of others, but in their flourishing. This is the core of metta, loving-kindness, which is the natural companion to empathetic joy. When we cultivate true love, we wish for the well-being of others in a boundless and unconditional way. Jealousy arises when we focus on ourselves, when we believe we are somehow diminished by the success of others. But love reminds us that we are interconnected, that another’s joy is a cause for celebration, for in the web of divine love, their flourishing is our own. When we truly rejoice in the Lord, as Paul urges us, we transcend the narrow confines of ego and align ourselves with the expansive heart of the Divine.
Thus, my dear friends, when jealousy arises, let us turn toward love and empathetic joy as our guide. As Moses and Jesus teach us, the blessings of the spirit are not limited to a select few but are available to all who open their hearts. The practice of loving-kindness and rejoicing in the happiness of others purifies our hearts, transforming jealousy into compassion and unity. In this way, we become vessels of divine love, carrying the spirit of awakening wherever we go, until all beings share in the great joy of liberation.