Do we let jealousy ruin our pleasure over the success of others?

Thursday, 1/23/13

It was around the year 970 B.C. that the forces of the Philistines, occupying what is now the Gaza strip along the Mediterranean opposite Jerusalem, sent a challenge to  the Israelites under King Saul. They offered to let a favorable resolution of their territorial disputes rest on the outcome of a single combat between a champion from both sides. Saul accepted the challenge, but regretted having done so when he saw the Philistine challenger to be the giant Goliath who was clothed in brass.

When no man among the Israelites had the courage to confront Goliath, the slim shepherd boy David came forward. In combat, running toward the giant, he let fling a smooth stone which lodged in Goliath’s forehead, killing him; causing the Philistines to flee, ceding the territory to the Israelites.

At first Saul was delighted with David’s victory, but he grew sullen when he heard the women were calling out, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 

At that Saul was saddled with a life-long jealousy that would poison his life.

Now, David’s great popularity was more of a threat to the future of Saul’s oldest son Jonathan than it was to Saul. But Jonathan’s reaction was quite opposite from that of his father.

The Bible says, “Jonathan entered into a bond with David, because he loved him as himself. Jonathan divested himself of the mantle he was wearing, and gave it to David.”

How do we react to the success of others? De we rejoice for them, or do we give way to jealousy?

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An update:  Today is my eighty-sixth birthday, and as a present to myself, I want to invite you to check the blog of a friend of mine. Doug is even older than me, but he has spent his years looking out for the rights of underdogs. His blog is Justice Reform Now. In this entry he takes up the need to reform  mandatory minimum sentencing.