Seeing Green

Starred review from July 23, 2018
In this helpful book, Dillehay, creator of The Green Workshop for Christians dealing with envy, encourages women to stop feeling guilty and control their unhealthy emotions by understanding that envy is a part of human nature. With bullet points and discussion questions, the book focuses on objects of envy such as looks, charm, wealth, intelligence, and relationships. Dillehay combines personal experiences and scriptural lessons to get to the root of jealous feelings, using different techniques and stories for each type of envious situation. For instance, her chapter on envying a person’s charm and charisma contains a modern retelling of the story of King David that makes the lesson resonate across millennia. In delving into the concept of envying a person’s intelligence, she reveals that the reasons for such envy can change over time, as intelligence is contingent on context. Readers will appreciate Dillehay’s observations on coveting wealth, such as how it seems to be influenced by geographic location and how it can bring cycles of difficulty even to those who are envied. With practical steps, such as mindfulness exercises, the book asks readers to keep their eyes focused on God instead of worldly desires. Christians burdened by envious thoughts will find a wealth of useful information.