Being a life-long scripture reader, God's Word has helped me to understand many trials. However, by understanding my plights, that hasn’t always made me feel better. Often times the increased anxiety of wisdom is equally painful.
Just like
today, in many of my favorite bible passages, the character in the story goes
through horrific trials. Knowing that my biblical brothers and sisters suffered
for their faith doesn’t always help me to feel better.
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| A Bible Story - David and Saul |
You probably think I’m referring to Job. His testing is considered by
many to be the harshest in the history of mankind. I don’t know if
that's true or not since testings
go on every day in God’s kingdom. I have read about many testings.
I have also endured many of my own testings – some more severe than
others.
I'm referring to the trials that David endured. If you recall, Saul and his armies had been pursuing
him for some time. Saul’s goal was to
kill David. In the cave, David had an opportunity to kill Saul and
spared his life; he crept behind him.
Have you ever known someone who is truly gifted? That was
David. He was gifted in music, in appearance, and in battle skills. Everything about him displayed God’s favor. Were
all of those gifts and recognition easy for him to live with? David would have
been the first person to say no. These gifts caused jealousy. His gifts also
caused him to sin.
God speaks about jealousy in Exodus 20:17, You
shall not covet…
In 1 Samuel 18.6,7; When the men returned home after battle,
the women sang the praises about and to David for slaying ten times as many Philistines
as Saul. Saul burned with jealousy. In Vs. 10, God put an evil spirit
into Saul. I believe just like with Saul, God uses evil spirits for his work today.
If someone is jealous, that is an
invitation for trouble – an open door for temptation.
It can be very difficult to
accept that someone simply has more gifts. It is important to accept
that
fact and don’t fall into jealous temptation. That was true in David’s
time
and it’s true in our time. It will be true in the future. Jealousy is a
dangerous temptation. Follow God's Word and make the personal decision
to avoid the trap.
In Christ's Service,
Shepard Cross
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