From Green to White

Being severely challenged in the matter of hair, or rather the lack of it, I am always a little “green with envy” of those sixty plus men whose ‘thatch’ seems to have remained largely unchanged from their youth. How do they do it, I ask myself!

With most people it is probably all in the genes......my father was balding in his mid twenties. However some rich men have been able to use their wealth to defy both age and genetics. Great entertainers such as Sir Elton John have spent thousands of pounds having individual hairs implanted into their skin.... even Wayne Rooney has had it done! No hairpieces for them...only the best that modern technology has to offer and money can buy so that nobody can see the join!

 "Green with envy" is one of several sayings that have to do with the state of being jealous of the good fortune of another individual. Envy comes in many different shapes and forms and its consequences in the most severe cases can be fatal.

According to some commentators entire political philosophies have been built on envy. Sir Winston Churchill described socialism as, ‘a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery’.

Personal success can breed envy in others. The late Marilyn Monroe was troubled and personally hurt when she saw her own success lead to envy and bitterness in some of her contemporaries: “Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you”.

Having been personally involved in secondary education for over 30 years, I can attest to the fact that much of the bullying that takes place amongst teenagers, particularly girls, has its roots in jealousy and envy........... envy of friends, possessions, popularity, clothes, boyfriends.

In the Bible the Old Testament story of the two brothers Cain and Abel specifically highlights envy as the motive for a murder. In the story Cain and Abel both offer God a sacrifice......Cain the fruit of the ground (he was a farmer) and Abel an animal which he had hunted and killed. God prefers Abel’s sacrifice and rejects Cain’s. Tragedy then ensues when, angry at his rejection, and envious of his brother, Cain in a fit of uncontrollable rage murders his brother Abel.

The Christian blogger Steve Cornell reminds us that, ‘envy was also the motive behind the most vicious crime of history: “the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy” (Mark 15:10)’.

 Many people have great difficulty in dealing with the destructiveness of envy, yet for those who are prepared to open it up, the Bible offers the answer. In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter says, “rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good".............................simple really !!!