1596) Usually when we hear the phrase, “It’s the small things that matter,” we are thinking of the little actions or words that push us forward in a kind-hearted spirit. Have you ever considered, however, that the opposite effect is also true?

If you are cold and calculating as Satan is, you know that the drip, drip, dripping of small minor irritations can be brutal. For example, Proverbs 27:4 tells us that when you feel rage, it often materializes as cruelty. If you are hot-tempered, it often overwhelms both the person giving it and receiving it. But at the end of the verse, it says,” but who can stand before jealousy?”

Why would jealousy rank as more deadly than rage or being hot-tempered? My educated guess is because jealousy is a subtle thing. With rage and being short-tempered, you can see it coming; you can predict what will shortly result. With jealousy, it can seep into any part of our lives, feelings and thoughts. It results in more than just rage or being short-tempered. It infects every emotion, every thought, every action.

Yes, jealousy seems a tiny thing in ourselves and others, but this small thing is actually a tremendous problem. Recognize it for what it is and ask God to help you fight this deadly thing.