For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. James 3:16

Be Not Jealous Of One Another

When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”  He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.
1 Samuel 17:28-31

When Samuel anointed David in front of all his older brothers, he was singled out as the one whom God had chosen to bless; this would have been very humiliating for the brothers because David was the youngest in the family. Therefore, when Eliab, the oldest brother, heard him asking the soldiers about Goliath, his heart burned with anger. His jealousy did not want his little brother to receive any recognition or glory, and made him blind to David’s faith in God which gave him the courage to stand before the enemy.

 

Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy? Proverbs 27:4

Eliab’s ridicule and spite towards David shows how jealousy can poison our words if we allow it to fester in our hearts. David’s shield of faith, however, helped him to fend off the fiery darts from his brother and he was brought before Saul.

Even though our own brothers and sisters may ridicule us and bring us down, we will not go unnoticed before the Lord if we remain focused on Him. Just as Saul called for David, the Lord will call and anoint you for the task He has set.

 

The Lord hates jealousy so let us not be jealous of others who are doing well but let us bless them so that the Lord will bless us in return.

Dear Lord,
I thank You, Lord, for this day and ask You to fill my heart with Your love so that I may show Your grace to all whom You choose to bless. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju