I Samuel 18:1-18        How to Overcome Jealousy          January 11, 2008

      Benjamin Franklin once commented on jealousy and our wanting to impress other people.  Franklin said, “It is the eyes of other people that ruin us. If all but I were blind, I should not want a fine house, fine furniture, or fine clothes.”   This morning, I want to talk about the jealousy that can ruin us.  We want what others have.  We want to do what they do.  We find it hard to be happy in ourselves.               Our scripture today tells the story of Saul and David and the jealousy that destroyed their friendship.  It was a jealousy that ruined David’s young adult years.  It was a jealousy that would kill Saul and his own son Jonathan.  You see, jealousy is no small matter.  It can ruin us.  So let’s look at this sin of jealousy and how to overcome it in our lives.

     As we saw last week, David was successful in defeating Goliath, and initially, Saul is very happy.  I want you to see how in the beginning, Saul and David are very close.  In vs. 2, we see that David did not return home but that Saul kept David with him.  In vs. 3-4, we see a deep friendship grow between David and Saul’s oldest son, Jonathan.  In vs. 5 Saul sent David out to other assignments and David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in his army.  Vs 5 tells us that all the people loved David and Saul’s other officers were pleased with him as well.  In time, David will even marry Saul’s oldest daughter Merab.  All seems well.  It seems like a close family with a bright future.  But tragically, the seed of destruction was already planted.

      One day when the army was returning from battle, the young women come to dance and sing.  What do they sing?  “King Saul has slain thousands, but David has slain ten thousands.”  Vs 8 say, “Saul was very angry.”  Now what did Saul expect?  He was the aging king.  He had his own years of victory.  He had years of success.  He had become the first king of Israel.  But now, this new young man was on the scene, and naturally, the young women found him attractive.  Saul should have taken all this in stride. 

      For many years Sir Walter Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one could write as well as he. Then the works of Lord Byron began to appear, and their greatness was immediately evident. Soon an anonymous critic praised Byron’s poems in a London Paper. He declared Scott could no longer be considered the leading poet of England.  Was Sir Walter Scott angry at these words in the paper?  No.  It was later discovered that the unnamed reviewer had been Sir Walter Scott himself.           How about you?   Can you see the success of others and be happy for them?  Or do you feel angry and jealous?   Do you worry that your time will never come?  But it will.  God has this success for this person and God has a different success for you.  When you are at a big family dinner, you do not get angry and worried when the fired chicken is being passed around the table.  You know it will come to you and you will have your turn to get a piece.  The same is true in life.  If you are faithful, your turn will come.   But, no, Saul was angry.  And he thought in his heart, “David will take my kingdom.” 

      Now why did Saul think such?  Back in chapter 13, the prophet Samuel has already told Saul that God was going to take his kingship and give it to another man who had a heart like God’s heart.  Saul remembered those words and his own sins in the past.  Saul remembered the lies to cover up his sin and the deceit of his own heart.  Saul’s emotions poured out.  In vs. 8, Saul is angry.  Vs 9 says, “From that day on, Saul kept a jealous eye on David.”  Suspicion develops from that day on.  Finally, vs. 12 says Saul was afraid of David.   Anger.  Suspicion.  Fear.  These are all the roots of jealousy.  And what does Saul do?  He let’s those emotions overcome him until he is ready to kill David. 

        We all sometimes have emotions of jealousy.  Perhaps we are angry, suspicious, or afraid.  But we can deal with the roots of jealousy and we can overcome it.  Saul, due to his deceitful heart, never looked at himself.  But when we feel these emotions arise, we can ask ourselves, “What am I feeling?  Why do I feel this way?  Do I honestly want to overcome this?”  You see, our feelings are not sinful.  Let me say that again.  Our feelings are not sinful.  We all have feelings that arise.  But the question is what we do with our feelings.  James 1:14-15 in the New Testament says that everyone is tempted by evil.  We all have feelings that arise.   But we need to watch out, says James, lest we are dragged away and led into sin.   It was natural that Saul felt a little jealous of David.  But Saul allowed it to grow into anger, suspicion, and fear.  Those roots grew into a full sinful heart condition.  When you feel some jealousy arising, you can deal with the roots.  Do not be dragged away. 

     The next thing we can do when jealous feelings arise is to seek God for help.  Saul did not do this.  In fact, vs. 12 says that the Spirit of God had left Saul.  Why had God left Saul?  Because Saul had left God.  Saul was living in sin and deceit.  Saul had stopped communication with the prophet Samuel.  Saul was the king and doing his own thing without God.  And God had left Saul.  Romans 1 says that when we continue to live in sin, God will give us up to sin.  I know that the idea of “once saved, always saved” is a popular teaching in many Southern churches.  But it is not a worldwide Christian teaching.  It is not a United Methodist teaching.  I do not find it in the Bible.  Jesus says twice that those who endure to the end will be saved.  Saul did not endure.  Saul left God.  And eventually, God left Saul.  How about us?  Are we seeking God?  When sinful feelings arise, do you go to God for help?  Or have you moved away from God.  I heard about an older couple driving down the road one afternoon when they spotted a young couple driving along also.  The young man and woman were sitting in the car next to each other; the girl scooted right up close in the middle of the front seat.  The older wife commented, “Look at those two young love birds.  You know, we use to sit close like that when we were driving.”  The old man looked over and said, “Well, I haven’t moved.”  Listen.  God has not moved.  If you no longer feel close to God, you have moved away. 

       When we feel jealousy arising in our hearts, we need to look at the root problems.  We need to see God in prayer for help.   Finally, we can talk to a more mature and wise believer.  One of the best things we can do when we face any temptation is to talk to someone we can trust who will give us wise counsel and pray for us.   Saul could have sought out Samuel the prophet again.  But he does not.  Saul tries to go it alone.  Vs 18 says that Saul sent David into more dangerous missions, hoping that the Philistines would kill him.   Saul bottles up his feelings until he explodes with a spear aimed at David.  Saul never seeks help, never seeks Samuel until it is far too late.  Only years in the future, after much sin and tragedy have come to pass, on the very last night of Saul’s life, he finally tries to seek wisdom from Samuel.  But it is far too late and Saul is told that tomorrow he will die.   I have to tell you that in my experience as a pastor, people do not come for help until it is often too late.  You know, this church is filled with many older and wise Christians who would talk with you, keep your problem confidential, and help you.  My door is open for those who want to talk.  But so often, you and I keep our troubles to ourselves, we seek no help, until it explodes on us.  And when people come to talk that late in the problem, it is very, very hard to find help.  You and I need to seek wisdom and advice from spiritual friends when problems first arise.  That is how we can overcome those problems.  Saul never dealt with the roots of his problems.  Saul never went to God for help.  Saul never sought Samuel for help.  And Saul destroyed himself and many others with him. 

        How about you today?  Where do you need to ask God for help?  Do you need to look at some root issues in your life?  Have you moved away from God?  Is there someone you can talk with to get some help?  Do not let emotional problems and fears ruin you.  There is help if you seek it.  Amen.