Window Envy
“The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare.” (Proverbs 21:25-26 NKJV)
When I launched my career as a writer, I landed a job in an old downtown office room with windows. The view wasn’t great—I looked out on a derelict building inhabited by a gazillion pigeons—but at least I could see sky and sunshine.
Then our business moved. And I was stuck in a cubicle. I hated cubicles. No window, no view, no privacy.
I remember the sting of being passed over for a window spot given to someone else with less seniority. When I protested, I was given a lame excuse and dismissed to my cubicle.
I stewed. It wasn’t fair, in my huffy opinion. I complained bitterly (to myself) that I deserved a window and the other person didn’t. I was eaten up with envy.
Can you see this set-up? I made myself miserable in my work situation. Until…I woke up one day to realize that it wasn’t the window bugging me. It was my job.
I began looking for other work, found a better position, and took it—inheriting an office with no window. I followed that job with a decade-long career at FedEx, working through about 20 cubicles and offices (none with views) until I finally arrived at one with a window…about six months before quitting to care for our infant daughter.
Nowadays, I have a working view at home through windows where I can look out at green trees, a complete luxury. And I would never have appreciated it if I hadn’t worked through all those cubicles and windowless office spaces.
But I still cringe at my envious attitude in that first job, not Christ-like. Obviously, having a window for myself was more important to me than being kind to my co-workers…more important than being content with God’s provision…more important than honoring God.
As the last of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not covet” seems on the surface to be a relatively harmless sin. Okay, so we’re not supposed to covet our neighbor’s house, spouses, servants/oxen/donkeys (let’s update that to cars), or anything else. Check. Got that one covered…until envy rears its ugly snakehead in my heart over something insignificant like an office window.
The trouble with envy is that it’s idolatry at its core. It selects something other than God to become the central object of our worship.
The apostle Paul admonished the Colossians to put to death such earthly desires as sexual immorality and evil desires, citing covetousness as the last one on his list. However, he singles out this crime as idolatry, (Colossians 3:5), recognizing it as a bookend to the Ten Commandments.
Remember the first two commandments? “You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Exodus 20:3-4). Envy sets up an earthly object as the idol of our waking thoughts, whether it’s a material possession or some other lust of the eyes.
In contrast, the passage in Proverbs 21 above reminds me that Jesus calls me to be generous in giving to others. Generosity is the opposite of coveting. It’s the big-hearted avenue to finding true joy, and it’s a means of worshipping Christ with thanksgiving.
There’s nothing wrong with desiring something good among God’s gifts, if we keep it in perspective, work for it, and wait for God to provide the right timing and opportunity. Perhaps He kept me waiting on a window until my attention was on Him and not the view, on seeking to meet others’ needs and not mine.
Other things now clamor to suck me into their envy vortex—social media comparison, writing awards, even grandbabies!! It’s a lifelong battle. But with prayer, relinquishment of desire, and trust in God’s plan, I know I can receive the peace and contentment He provides every day.
I hope you’ll find happiness this week in His presence with you—and I especially hope you can gaze at His beautiful creation through the simple blessing of a window.
O God, thank You for all the wonderful gifts You offer me through Your word and earthly provisions. Thank You for Your conviction moments, too, in pointing out my idolatry, selfishness, and weaknesses. Forgive me when I fall short of Your glory, and teach me how to give generously to others in faith. Let Your Spirit fill me with Your selfless joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.
© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #envy #jealousy #worship #idolatry #idols #cubicle #window #generosity
