Thursday, March 15, 2007 - Work Principles From King David – Part 2
Proverbs 27:4 tells us that “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” Who indeed? King David learned how difficult it was to stand before jealousy. As we look at principles from the life of King David, this one stands out strong:
Principle #9: Jealousy will ruin you.
Saul’s jealousy of David led to his ruin. And it was unfounded jealousy, irrational jealousy. But it so obsessed him that it led him to acts of insanity and periods of deep depression.
True, David enjoyed some fame after he killed Goliath, as the women sang, "Saul has killed his thousands but David his ten-thousands," but there was no reason for Saul to be worried about this young man. After all, Saul was still the king, and he should have been greatly relieved to have the Goliath problem solved. So why all this jealousy?
Jealousy springs from insecurity and/or discontentment. If you are insecure about yourself, if you don’t have full knowledge and confidence of who you are in Christ, if you are discontented with who you are or where you are or what you are doing, you become an easy target for that green-eyed monster, jealousy. And it is a monster!
Jealousy made Saul miserable, and it will do the same to you. Jealousy caused Saul to act like a spoiled brat, to make a fool of himself, and to behave in a very immature way. And it will do the same to you and me. Jealousy causes people to imagine things that are not true and to obsess over them. It makes people suspicious and causes wrong conclusions to be drawn.
Proverbs 6:34 says, “For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.”
Saul brought on his own destruction by his jealousy, which made him so furious that he repeatedly tried to kill David with his own spear, and then launched a campaign with his soldiers to track David down and try to kill him. And eventually it took over his mind and drove him insane.
Who can stand before jealousy? Don’t let one twig of jealousy take root in your own heart. It can drive you crazy! Appreciate how God has created you and ask God to teach you to be content with who you are and where you are.
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