Can you be happy for friends or coworkers who succeed and are rewarded for their success?
Can you be happy for friends or coworkers who succeed and are rewarded for their success even when you are not meeting with as much success? When they are succeeding and you are not?
This is the story of Saul and David. This chapter doesn’t give us much of a look into David’s heart, but it gives us a grand and sad view of Saul’s heart, a heart wracked with jealousy.
With every success by David, Saul grew more and more jealous. Saul could not stomach that David, his subordinate, was getting more praise than he was. Saul grew fearful for his future and his kingship.
Jealousy destroys any chance of working together, any chance of a relationship and even worse, it gnaws at one’s inside, corroding relationships. Jealousy is a cesspool that destroys life.
God drew me inside… inviting me to see if the green monster of jealousy was alive and well in my life.
I needed to look at some places in my life…
Colleagues: As a pastor, I know many other pastors. Some churches are thriving, others not so much. Am I jealous of pastors with more impressive ‘credentials’ or churches with larger budgets or staffs or congregations? How about you? What goes on inside of you when you look at fellow coworkers who are rising on the corporate ladder faster and higher than you? Is jealousy at work??? A deep look now and then is good for the soul.
Friends & relatives: Am I jealous of friends or family who seem to have more of the ‘good life’ than I do. Am I envious of their trips or toys or families or homes or health or…
Advertisements: do I allow advertisements to sow discontent in my life?
It is only by taking time to look inside that I can see if the green monster of envy and jealousy are eating away at my insides!
Lord, help me to be honest with myself as I look inside my life. Thank you, Lord, for this call to self-examination. I love You, Lord. Through Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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