Jacob loved all his sons, but he had special affection for 17-year-old Joseph. How did Joseph’s brothers react? They became envious of him, and that envy made them bitter. So they sold Joseph into slavery and lied to their father, saying that a wild animal had killed his favorite son. Envy caused them to disrupt the peace of the family and to break their father’s heart. (Gen. 37:3, 4, 27-34) Envy is listed among the death-dealing “works of the flesh” that can disqualify a person from inheriting God’s Kingdom. (Gal. 5:19-21) Envy is often the root cause of such poisonous fruits as hostility, strife, and fits of anger. The example of Joseph’s brothers shows how envy can damage relationships and disturb the peace that once existed in a family. Although we would never do what Joseph’s brothers did, we all have an imperfect and treacherous heart. Little wonder, then, that we may at times struggle with feelings of envy. w20.02 14 ¶1-3