Saul went back on his promise…
1 Samuel 18:19-25 (NLT)
19When the time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to David, he gave her instead to Adriel. 20In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it. 21“Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!” 23…David replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?” 24When Saul’s men reported this back to the king, 25he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 dead Philistine! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight…
In the meantime, Jonathan responded to Abner’s implied question on his attitude about the threat of David’s anointing:
Commander Abner,
Your letter arrived at the same time as a rainy thunder amid summer—unexpected but not unwelcome. Your revelations about David’s anointing by Samuel and my father’s subsequent actions have deepened my apprehensions.
Power, you see, is not just a throne or a crown; it’s a heavy responsibility, like carrying water in cupped hands. Spill it, and you’ve failed those who thirst. My father, it seems, is more afraid of the water spilling than of quenching the thirst of Israel. His actions—marrying off Merab to Adriel and now dangling Michal like a carrot in front of David—are like lightning strikes, bright and startling, but leaving fire and destruction in their wake.
My friendship with David transcends political alliances; it’s a bond forged in faith and in battle. Unlike my father, who sees relationships as mere transactions, I value the depth of human connection. My father, however, sees people as mere clouds—useful only for the shade they provide, then dispersed by the winds of his whims.
Your letter swirls more questions in me like leaves in a storm, each one begging for an answer. Could friendship break up the family? Would morality trump loyalty? Or in your words, “Could envy bring good things out of people, like aspiring people to achieve what could be theirs?” But then, who defines what is ‘good,’ and at what cost? And if David has indeed been anointed by God’s will, then who are we to fight against it?
Titles and crowns do not define me. I don’t need a crown to know my worth. My identity is not tied to a title but to my faith and actions. It’s disheartening to witness the corrosive effects of envy [1] on a man who once stood as a pillar of strength and deliverance for Israel. Envy blinds him from seeing David’s virtues, only as a threat. I see him as a comrade in arms, fighting for the same cause, contending for the same glorious God.
And so, as the storm of envy [2] rages on, it leaves me pondering: What do we do when we see others become targets of envy? Do we take cover for ourselves or guide them through the tempest? And what if the storm turns its eye towards us? What if we become the target of envy’s destructive force? These are questions not just for you and me, Abner, but for anyone who finds themselves in such a storm.
May God grant us the wisdom and courage to navigate these turbulent waters.
In service to God and Israel,
Jonathan
Share with your friends “What do we do when we see others become targets of envy? What do we do if we become the target of envy’s destructive force?”
[1] Proverbs 14:30 (NIV) said, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.“
[2] James 3:16 (NIV): “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.“
I believe when we need to recenter our lives and look to God. Envy is evil and it’s really easy to fall and get into it. By recenterting your life to God it will help stop the envy causing there to be no destruction and a lot more peace.
When I see others become the targets of envy, I would first pray for guidance on how to best navigate the situation and then listen to God’s whether to interfere or not, but most like I would jump in and offer consult. By helping others align themselves with God and that He is to be the center of praise and worship despite the what the world is throwing at them. If I become the target of the destructive force that is envy, I would keep praying to see how God would want me move on with the circumstance and I would for peace and reconciliation among all parties.
I believe we should, first, consult with God and seek His wisdom and guidance in the case that someone becomes a target of envy. Then step in when/if needed to mediate and help guide all parties to glorify God. And in the case that we would become the target of envy, I believe it is important to pray, seek God’s presence and navigate in a calm manner. David may or may not have seen the root of Saul’s envious actions, but he never backed down and was obedient. David was obedient and faithfully fulfilled all that was asked of Him and glorified God against the odds and deceitful orders he had.
For me, seeing others be the target root of envy, it’s hard but I do tend to stay away from saying anything but we need to bring it to light so that it can be dealt with
When we become targets of the destructive force of envy, we have thoughts that would stop us from the path to righteousness. We see the sun and destructive behavior that it can lead to.
The first thing I would probably do is to bring it up to them. I think that they should be aware because I think that envy can turn toxic in our relationships with others. If I were to become the target of envy’s destructive force, I think that I would put space between me and the other person. I am not one who is comfortable with confrontation. Another thing I would do is surrendering this to God by praying for them and their heart. I would even let the envy run it’s course.
(from Steve)
Personally I think every situation is different so with every situation being different there are different solutions, I do feel the same way like you guys shared in some sense. I feel my take on things would different depending on who is envious with who, if it was someone I knew on the both ends I would probably help diffuse the situation fairly, but if I knew one out of the two I might think that I can diffuse the situation justly, but it’s probably biased in some sort of way, if it was 2 people I didn’t know I probably wouldn’t intervene but pray to God to help them, but either way I would pray for them all rather then intervene and add my 2 cents. I don’t know if any of it makes cents but I think praying for their solution rather than getting involved is better.
From sister Becky
What do i do when I see others become targets of envy will depend on my relationship with that person. I will feel uncomfortable when I see others become target of envy. If they are someone I’m not close to, then I’ll ask for prayers for God to help that person to realize that envy is not healthy for their emotional being and for them to learn to let go of envy by accepting what they have and be happy for others for what others have.
If they are someone very close to me then I also pray that God give me wisdom to approach my friend with this topic. I will approach my friend about their behavior with love. I will try to be understanding and compassionate. When my friend shares their side of the story, I will try to understand where they are coming from. Ask questions if I need clarification and let them know that i’m just giving them my undivided attention. Even if I don’t agree with my friend, I will be kind and open-minded trying to see things from their perspective. Now once i hear all the facts i will pray that God will convict their heart.
What do I do if I become the target of envy’s destructive force?
This is a sensitive topic and I would not be able to be confrontational on this but would pray for God to help change their heart and help me to keep my calm and be obedient to God by loving on them as God loves them and not overreact and wait upon God’s intervention to convict and change them.
Oh man. I don’t think I’ve experienced this. But I will want to let the person who is the target of envy know so they can keep a watchful eye and if possible cut relationship with that person. It’s toxic!
You ruuuuuunn run ??♀️ if we become the target of envy’s destructive force! Don’t be near them. Cut off the relationship. Let those close to them know what is going on and have those close to that person try to restore them.
I think there were a few instances where I saw my friends as tragets of envy. I would encourage them and remind them to be grateful for what they had. Where I used to work, I got a glimpse of the crippling effect of envy and what it did to people, leaving them in jealousy, bitterness, anger and resentment. It’s as though they turned into a whole different person altogether. In those instances, I just decided to just observe and keep my distance, keeping myself from intervening in any way. When I become a target of envy, I need to remind myself of God’s Word and just take time to reflect on being thankful for what I have.
I don’t even want to think about it, but when I see others becoming targets of envy, my first instinct is to pray and ask God for help and guidance. I believe that most of the time, envy is beyond my control, so turning to God is the best way to navigate these situations. It’s important to trust in His wisdom to handle such challenges and protect those affected by envy.
I think for me, when I see others become targets of envy, first I would pray for the situation and guidance from God. It’s hard to intervene when you don’t fully know the full story from both sides and where they come from. It’s suck when a friend or a brother becomes a target of envy. But like David, no matter what situation you are in, you have to rely upon God. We seek his wisdom and guidance. Then from there, we can mediate as a third party if necessary. I think bring a friend to come with you too so you guys can support each other. And I think approaching them with love and gently help too since their thinking is clouded with hatred and envy