Jealousy -- Good or Bad?

As I was looking for a picture for this post, it was not surprising to me that a Facebook logo was among the images when I typed in the word "jealousy".  Facebook definitely can cause us to have feelings of resentment. "Everyone else's life seems to be way better than mine."  It takes effort to remember that we typically only post the "highlights" of our lives.  Much like only watching the highlights after a football game.
Here's a fun fact according to the Wall Street Journal, a game broadcast takes around 185 minutes (including commercials, etc.) whereas the actual time the ball is in play on the field is only about 11-15 minutes.  That means that the true highlights are even less than that.  If you don't watch football, but you like to watch the highlights, it is easy to think that the whole game was that exciting.  I think we can safely say that Facebook is just like that too.

So.... here I go with my dictionary again : )
Jealousy:
1.  Demanding complete faithfulness.
2.  Feeling a mean resentment toward someone more successful than oneself.
3.  Careful, watchful.

The first definition tells us that jealousy is not always a bad thing.  Take for example Exodus 20:3-5 You shall have no other gods before me..... for I am a jealous God.  And Deuteronomy 4:24  For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.  God demands this for our protection.

If jealousy is motivated by a selfish concern for oneself, it is a negative trait.
Job 5:2  Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

If jealousy is motivated by a concern for others, it leads us to devote time to preserving what is good.
Numbers 25: 10-13  The Lord said to Moses, "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them.  Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.  He and his descendants will have a covenant of lasting priesthood because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites. 

Divine jealousy does not reflect negatively on the person of God.  It is His ardent passion for maintaining the integrity of His people.  Without integrity it is easier to be led away to things that can harm us physically and spiritually.
Proverbs 14:30  A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

I like that the color green is used to depict jealousy:  Green is the color of new life! Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus - the old has gone, the new is here!  Let's focus on that instead of the ugly green monster of jealousy.