Green-eyed Monster

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 18:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. 'They have credited David with tens of thousands,' he thought, 'but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?' And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David." 1 Samuel 18: 8.9

David’s victory over Goliath sparked a big celebration. All the women in towns along the road from the battlefield to the palace came out to cheer. They had tambourines and lutes and sang a song:

“Saul has slain his thousand
and David his ten thousands.”

When Saul heard this, he grew very jealous. They were praising David more than him. Next they’d want to crown David king.

Because David was now a famous warrior, Saul invited him to stay at the palace. David had actually been at the palace before, to play the harp for Saul. He did this to calm Saul when an evil spirit bothered him.


The day after they got back, the evil spirit came to Saul again and he asked David to play his calming music. This time, though, Saul’s jealousy was too strong. As David was playing, Saul took up a spear and threw it at David, trying to kill him. Just in time, David got out of the way. But from then on, jealous Saul couldn’t get the thought of killing David out of his head.


PRAYER: Dear God, please show me any jealous feelings in my heart and help me to deal with them. Amen.

MORE: Five ways to fight the Jealousy Monster
Have you ever been in a situation like this?
- The teacher pays special attention to other kids in class but ignores you.
- The new kid in your school has stolen your best friend.
- You have trouble liking the person who beat you out in baseball tryouts.

Are you tempted to respond with jealousy?
(Jealousy = when you resent or hate someone who is getting what you think you deserve, what you would like to have, or what you once had and lost.)

Here are five ways to fight the Jealousy Monster:
1. Admit that your jealousy is sin (Galatians 5:19-21).

2. Ask God for forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

3. Ask God for wisdom to know how to deal with your jealous feelings (James 1:5).

4. Accept yourself as God made you (Romans 12:3-8).

5. Accept the things that are happening in your life – even the ones that make you feel jealous – as allowed by God (Romans 8:28). He works even through difficult things to make you into the person He can use. Be teachable.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Jealousy's Rotten Fruit

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 37:12-36

TO CHEW ON: “... So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.” (Genesis 37:17b,18)


Joseph’s brothers were far away from home, herding their father’s flocks. One day Joseph’s father Israel (also called Jacob) sent Joseph to see how his brothers were getting along. Finish the story by filling in the answers from the words at the bottom:

When Joseph was still far away his brother recognized him and planned to 1. _______ (Genesis 37:20).
When he got there they 2. ________ and 3. _________ (Genesis 37:23,24).
But they didn’t kill him. Instead they 4. ____________ (Genesis 37:27)

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threw him in a cistern
stripped off his coat
sold him to the Ishmaelites
kill him
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Jealousy grew in Joseph’s brothers from hatred to thoughts of murder. Our jealous thoughts can grow in the same way. But that doesn’t have to happen. Instead we can take our jealous feelings to God. We can ask for His help to work through them.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to deal with jealousy in my life. Amen.

MORE: Dealing with the jealousy monster

Here are some ways to deal with jealousy. Cross out the one that doesn’t belong.

1. Admit your jealousy and call it what it is – sin (Galatians 5:19, 20,21).

2. Ask for God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

3. Ask God for wisdom to deal with jealous feelings (James 1:5).

4. Accept yourself as God made you (Romans 12:3-8).

5. Accept that it’s okay to be jealous once in a while because the temptation is hard to resist, and no one is perfect (1 Corinthians 10:13).

6. Accept the circumstances of your life (including the thing that makes you jealous) as something God can turn into good (Romans 8:28).


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jealousy

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 37:1-11

TO CHEW ON: “His brothers were jealous of him (Joseph), but his father kept the matter in mind.” Genesis 37:11

Joseph was his dad’s favorite. Joseph’s brothers knew this because their dad made Joseph a special coat.



Joseph also had dreams. In them his brothers and parents bowed down to him. When his brothers saw his special coat and heard his dreams they became jealous of him. Soon they hated him.

What is jealousy? It’s a bad feeling we have toward someone who:
- gets what we think we deserve.
- gets what we would like to have.
- gets what we once had and lost.

Jealous feelings can start with something as small as not liking someone. But if we let them grow they become hate. Have you been jealous at times like these?
- a brother or sister gets a lot of your parents’ attention.
- someone else gets picked for the position you wanted on the team.
- the trophy you won last year now goes to someone else.
Can you name more?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to recognize the jealousy in my life. Amen.

MORE: The end of the jealousy story

If we let jealousy grow, it leads to a bad ending. Match the beginning of each jealousy story with what was (or might have been) its ending. Look up the Bible references if you need help.

Cain – Genesis 4:8
Saul – 1 Samuel 18:9-11
The administrators and satraps – Daniel 6:6,7,16
Priests and Pharisees – John 11:53



Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.