Hey, Jealousy!

We have met Samuel.  This week we meet the first king Samuel anointed, Saul.  The Bible tells us that Saul was tall and handsome, better than all in Israel in fact.  Saul looks aren’t his issue.   It is his personality that is the problem.

Let’s look at some critical errors Saul made.  Saul refused to wait for Samuel, the priest, to offer sacrifice, a no-no in God’s book.  Look at what Samuel tells Saul in 1 Sam 13:13-14.  Obviously, Saul was impatient and felt he could do things better on his own.

Saul commits another error in Chapter 15.  The Lord had instituted a ban on Israel’s enemies.  This meant that everything belonging to the enemy must be destroyed.  God did this to protect His people from pagan influence.  It was a matter of security for them.  Saul spares the king and some of the best livestock.  Another no-no in God’s book.  Look at the consequences in 1 Sam 15: 24 and 28.  This reveals another problem with Saul’s personality.  He was hasty and disobedient.

This week we are going to focus on another one of Saul’s character flaws, his jealousy.  When Saul learned that David was given the kingdom and was to become the king, he lost it.  He became consumed by his jealousy of David.  In fact, Saul chased after David for years, trying to kill him.

Biblical Scholar Alert- many of David’s Psalms were written during this time when he was running from Saul to spare his life.

Look how jealousy begins to take hold of Saul in 1 Sam 18:7-16.  Another thing to note is that twice David could have killed Saul but didn’t because he refused to harm God’s anointed.  That speaks more of David’s character and we will talk more about that in weeks to come.

The rest of First Samuel details how Saul’s jealousy of David ruined him.  He died a coward’s death.  Read about it in 1 Sam 31:1-6.  So much for the prettiest boy in all of Israel.

Jealousy can do the same things in our lives.  The dictionary describes it as, “intolerant of rivalry, hostile to one believed to have an advantage, grasping, envious, suspicious, petty, spiteful.”

Saul overlooked all he had been given and focused on what he perceived he did not have.  I am afraid we do the same thing.  Someone will always be smarter, prettier, skinnier, more successful, or maybe even happier than us.  At least we will always think so.  But when we allow jealousy to define us, it saps what is good in us and leaves a void that nothing can fill.  Let’s not end up like Saul with our heads on poles.  Let’s nip jealousy in the bud and begin to enjoy our own gifts and talents.  Lets start this week.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What am I jealous of?

How does it make me feel?

What gifts have I been given?  Why do I not focus on those?

What feelings can I focus on to displace jealousy?

Who can help me?