Jealousy Is Destructive

This is a characteristic that can be absolutely debilitating. I believe jealousy is like a killer cancer that comes from deep within. This word features resentment against another who might be a rival. I believe that jealousy can be self-destructive. I speak with experience because I’ve been jealous to the point where I wanted my rival to fail miserably. Jealousy caused me way more harm than it did my rival. Jealousy can make a completely rational person become irrational.

King Saul was very jealous of David. I think he recognized that the Lord was now with David. David was the recipient of the Blessing and Presence of God that Saul had once experienced. When Saul turned his back on the Lord, the Lord’s Presence left him. Having the Presence of God is not hard – it requires humility and obedience. Saul was evidently too proud to return humbly before the Lord.

David has fled from Saul and Saul is about to go on the offensive trying to hunt David down and kill him. Saul is tipped off about Ahimelek who had helped David previously. Saul saw this as an active of treason and he had Ahimelek and his whole family brought to him. Check this out…

13 Saul said to him, ‘Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and enquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?’

14 Ahimelek answered the king, ‘Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I enquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.’ (1 Samuel 22:13-15 NIV)

Saul orders Ahimelek and his family killed. He also orders an entire town of prophets killed. This is all happening because of his jealousy that is completely out of control.

I have to keep jealousy in check at all times. I believe it is a characteristic that can slip in hardly noticed and start the “comparison game”. Jealousy focuses on what others are doing instead of what I’m doing. Jealousy can attract my attention toward the wrong things. I need to look inside of my soul to see who I am and more importantly “Whose” I am. This can absolutely change my perspective on everything. It’s a sad story of Saul and how he was crippled by jealousy. I believe that jealousy is a strong “go to” tactic of the enemy. I think I’m hurting person I’m jealous of, but instead I’m the one harmed.

This passage reminded me to focus on God’s Presence in me and what He wants to do in me and through me. I have to push off any hint of jealousy or envy because this will derail God’s plan for me.

Pressing On!

Dwayne