How you can avoid the dangerous obsession that threatens death
By Dean Collins
Jealousy is a slow, silent, and wicked master. If left unchecked it can destroy you. Jealousy can trick you into thinking your actions are justified and your motives are honorable. Young David had proved both his love for God and his loyalty to King Saul. David’s victory over Goliath was just the beginning of a series of victories. 1 Samuel 18:5 describes David’s favor with God and with his fellow men:
“And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.”
Jealousy’s beginning
Things became a bit tense as the people in Israel (and I might note, the women in particular) began to dance and sing songs of joy at David’s victories. And it got worse. The songs the women sang compared King Saul’s accomplishments to David’s, and when King Saul heard the comparison, jealousy became locked in his mind and he began to get angry. Jealousy is a complicated emotion, and when it takes hold of you it will make you look foolish. King Saul’s jealousy led him to become obsessed with watching David’s actions.
Jealousy can lead to serious control issues. David was faithful to his king, did battle for the king, and played his lyre to calm the king. But King Saul could not see David’s obvious loyalty and service to himself or to God’s chosen people. He was fixated on stopping David’s good thing and good service.
Jealousy’s obsessions
I have watched this up close in both business situations and family relationships. I have watched leaders become obsessed with frustration and jealousy when someone else’s idea gained attention. Instead of working together for the common good of their business or organization, they tried to interrupt or even stop another’s work. The enemy of God will of course leverage unhealthy obsessions to slow God’s work and bring unnecessary destruction.
King Saul’s twisted thinking became so bad that he used his daughters as part of his plan to get rid of David. Saul promised to give David his eldest daughter in marriage and then broke his promise. When Saul learned that David loved another of his daughters, he set a bridal price that would endanger David’s life. However, God continued his favor in David’s life, which resulted in the continued spiral of Saul’s anger and resentment and caused him to fear David more and more. It wasn’t long until King Saul enlisted yet another family member along with other servants to help him kill David.
Jealousy conquered
So how can we avoid becoming jealous of others’ successes? And how can we keep ourselves from seeking revenge or acting in fear when others seek to harm us? We must choose to abide in Christ. Jesus once told a group of Jews who had started believing in him that if they would abide, that is, stay in relationship with Jesus, then they would know God’s truth and they would experience real freedom.
This message from Jesus confused some because they saw themselves as free already. But Jesus went on to explain that while they may have the freedom to practice religion or even be walking as free citizens in and out of the city gates, their bigger issue was that their practices of sin enslaved them. Jesus went on to say that abiding in Jesus brings wonderful freedom, real and lasting victory over sin.
Saul may have had the privilege of the throne but was stuck in his obsessions, fears, and sins. When we humble ourselves and daily offer ourselves to Jesus, he cleanses us from our sins and allows us to have clean hearts and minds toward others. The closer we walk with Jesus, the less we will need to worry about jealousy, revenge, or fear filling our hearts and minds and thereby weakening God’s work in our lives.
Your time with God’s Word
1 Samuel 18:5-30, 19:1-3, 11-15, 18; John 8:31-34, 36-38 ESV
Photo by negar nikkhah on Unsplash
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