eDevotion
Encouragement for your daily
walk with God
There
are many things that poison the way you view life. I can hardly think of
anything more toxic than jealousy. It is so lethal that God mentioned it twice
in the Ten Commandments.
Can
you think of anyone in the Bible more jealous and insecure than Saul? He was
appointed to the highest position in Israel—he was the king! He was blessed in
so many ways, not the least of which that he was head and shoulders above the
citizenry. But Saul couldn’t keep his eyes off of David who was receiving a lot
of attention after he killed Goliath, Israel’s “largest” enemy.
Sure,
the Israelites hadn’t forgotten the accomplishments of Saul, but the accolades
for David were on the increase (1st Samuel 18:7). Instead of rejoicing that God
had used David to conquer her enemies, Saul became homicidal, filled with
jealousy, and sought to put an end to that upstart, David.
A
Christ follower must always remember that jealousy is repugnant, an offense to
God—can I say it...SIN! Jealousy is rooted in self-centeredness and it robs us
of joy, choking out our contentment. Jealousy hardens the heart and smothers
gratitude. In Saul’s case, his jealousy grew to the extent that he assumed that
God was not resourceful enough to bless him and another.
Dear
Christ follower, watch your heart! If you find it difficult or impossible to
rejoice in the success of others, beware! Your heart may be tainted with
jealousy. Repent before it drains you of your joy and contentment. When you
become aware that jealousy is present, remind yourself of all your undeserved
blessings.
Therefore, when Saul saw that he
behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. (1st Samuel 18:15)
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