Jealousy Consumes Part 1

 

    One of the worst things that we can do to ourselves is not to recognize that God made us exactly how we are.  He loves His creation.  He knows that the world will influence us, but it does not have to consume us.  Jealousy is thing that once was pure that indicated that something of ours is at risk of being taken away.  It somehow turned into this ugly thing where we compare ourselves to others.  When we do that, we lose what makes us special, beautiful, and strong.

    Saul loved beautiful and strong things, so he took David into his home after he defeated Goliath.  David became part of the family.  Jonathan and David became best friends, more like true brothers.  Their bond was so close that they made a covenant not to let the world around them take away from the friendship.  Jonathan gave David nice clothes, a bow, and his sword.  David worked harder than anyone to move higher in the army ranks.

    One day after a battle there was a celebration where David was recognized more than the king.  This is when Saul's jealousy began to consume him.  He fed the evil spirit within him as he allowed his insecurity turn into hate.  The jealousy grew until one day Saul threw a spear at David while he played the harp.  David escaped because God was with him.  Saul feared what David because he recognized that God had favor over David.

    Saul promised David his eldest daughter, Merab, to David, but David was not asking to be a prince.  Merab was given to Adriel.  Saul's other daughter Michal was in love with David, so she was promised to David.  First David had to go get 100 Philistine foreskins.  Saul was hoping that David would be killed during the endeavor, but David succeeded.  David was happy to be Saul's son-in-law, but not really a prince.

    Saul's jealousy turned David into his enemy.  David was a mighty warrior and became well known, but Saul was the king.  Had Saul looked within himself and saw his flaws, then he could have turned them over to God and worked them out.  Instead, he turned to jealousy that put all the blame of his negative characteristics onto another person.  That person just happened to be David.

1 Samuel 18