Seeds of Envy

Up until this point Saul has not done a terrible job; he’s only made a few bad choices. But when another leader is raised up in competition, his true nature bubbles to the surface.

This serves as a stark reminder to us that it’s a lot easier to present a good image when things are going well for us. It’s usually only when we come into competition with others for attention, money, influence, or some other shared objective, that we start to see how bad we can really be.

It’s easy to start thinking of all the people we know who are constantly fighting for attention or comparing themselves to others and be completely oblivious to the same attitude at work in us. So often our bitterness and anger towards people are wholly justifiable in our eyes, but when we see them in other people they are "just jealous."

Notice the gradual way that envy grows in Saul from the initial seeds. Even as he devises plans to destroy David, he only gives David more opportunity to prove himself in the eyes of the people. The same thing applies to us when we compare ourselves to others. The more we tear people down and elevate ourselves, the more we just feed our own insecurity. What Saul fails to realize is that the true source of both his and David’s power is the Lord.

Thought Point

If we truly believe God is the source of everyone’s talents, successes, and attractiveness, why do we struggle with envy and comparison?

Prayer Point

Ask God to help you know in your heart that He has given you everything you need to live a Godly life and to keep you from comparing yourself to others (2 Pet. 1:3)