If you’ve ever caught a foul ball in the crowd at a baseball game, you know the rush of excitement you feel. You always hope you’ll be in just the right spot to snag that special souvenir. One of my memories is catching a foul ball that bounced off of the roof while I was getting a funnel cake!

Last night, two young fans at the Dodgers-Angels game experienced the thrill of holding a foul ball that was hit into the stands by Albert Pujols. However, as you can see in the video the older sister is the one who actually claims the prized ball.

As she smiles from ear to ear, her little brother appears very upset when he has to hand the ball back. Unfortunately for this 5-year-old, he has to sit there and watch his sister gleefully enjoy her new keepsake.

What an excellent representation of our own human nature and how jealousy can sneak into our minds. The headline of this video is “Foul Ball Makes One Fan Happy, Another Sad.” This statement rings true for most of us as we think about our own “foul ball” situations, and inwardly whine about not having something that someone else has. We may not openly cry or throw a temper tantrum, but inside we are brewing with feelings of envy.

The Bible says in James 3:16 (NLT), “For wherever there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.”

We all want to go home with the foul ball, but the reality is most times we won’t. In life, someone else will always have something that appears better than what we have. The only real way to combat these feelings is to rely on Jesus for our satisfaction.

If we possess the peace and true life that’s found in Him, everything else pales in comparison and the desire for the “foul ball” diminishes. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the days I’m filled with jealousy over someone else having something I don’t have. Forgive me for the envy I posses when I see something positive happening to someone else. Thank you for giving me peace and satisfaction by knowing Jesus and receiving His grace. In His powerful name, I pray, Amen.