I had only been up for an hour, and thanks to Instagram, I’d already violated the 10th commandment three times.

I coveted my friend’s trip of a lifetime (that she seems to take every six months); then a neighbor’s custom-made chicken coop and backyard garden; and finally, an acquaintance’s incredible New Year’s Eve party with hand-lettered place cards, stunning heirloom dishes and hundreds of dollars worth of fresh flowers.

Moya Sarner wrote, “We live in the age of envy. Career envy, kitchen envy, children envy, food envy, upper arm envy, holiday envy. You name it, there’s an envy for it.” All thanks to social media. While it’s true that Instagram, Facebook and other platforms have the capacity to help us connect with our friends and family, they also have the potential to provoke envy, trigger comparison and ultimately divert our energy from what brings true life and lasting satisfaction.

What’s to be done about this?

To read the remainder of this article, please click this link to Biola Center for Marriage and Family.

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