Thursday 23rd January 2020. Read 1 Samuel 18:6-9;19:1-7, Psalm 56 and Mark 3:7-12.
_“Saul was
very angry, and this saying displeased him; he said: ‘They have ascribed to
David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; and what more can
he have but the kingdom?’ And Saul eyed David from that day on.” *(1 Samuel
18:8-9)*_
By the
power of God, David was victorious over Goliath. This brought great joy all
through the kingdom of Israel. However, there was one man who did not take this
victory in good faith, one man suddenly started looking for a way to kill
David. The reaction of Saul to David’s victory seems strange but sadly, this is
still the case amongst many of us today.
Yesterday,
we noted that the inability to find inner joy and peace when others are
progressing is witchcraft. Do I sometimes “pull people down” by talking ill of
them (or wishing evil of them) when they are doing well just because I am
jealous of their elevated status in life?
Saul was
still king of Israel, David was just a shepherd boy and a musician but here was
a king suffering from massive inferiority complex. Saul could not stand the
fact that he was no longer the centre of attention in Israel. If only Saul had
held David close, I can only imagine how great his kingship would have been?
Sometimes, we make the costly mistake of fighting the people that God has sent
to help us in life just because we are too proud to see the big picture.
Great
leaders are not always the most talented, the most gifted or the most
hardworking; they are people who accept their personal limitations and learn to
harness the gifts and abilities of others. Great leaders know how to leverage
on the abilities of others; they are wise and humble enough to realize that
life is not all about competition. Some of the people you think are your
enemies right now, some people you wish were dead may just be Davids that God
brought your way.
They say:
“do not judge a fish by its inability to climb a tree.” Stop trying to climb a
tree and accept that you are a fish. Stop looking down on yourself because you
are not as good as this brother or this sister in this or that thing. Accept
your limitations, kill your jealousy and in humility, learn to ask for help.
Yes, learn to ask for help even from those you think are nothing to you.
Life is
team work. That is why for instance, God made plants to release oxygen which we
inhale and take in the carbon dioxide which we exhale. We need the plants to
survive and they need us too to stay alive. You shoot yourself in the leg when
instead of treating people well, you allow your pride push them away. Eventually,
Saul’s reign would end not because of the power of the Philistines but because
of Saul’s endless fight with the boy David. Have you been fighting the wrong
fight? Maybe you should begin to fight the real enemy that is within you; your
pride!
Coming
down to our Gospel passage, we see Jesus continuing his work of healing. Great
crowds pressed upon him and he cured many of their diseases and cast out many
demons and when the evil spirits tried to sing his praises, Jesus shut them up.
Jesus knew he was God but was humble to the end. Not even the evil spirits could
tempt him with pride.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, give me wisdom to accept my faults while I celebrate the talents of
others. Save me from pride. Amen.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. (Thursday of the 2nd Week in
Ordinary Time: Bible Study: 1 Samuel 18:6-9;19:1-7,
Psalm 56 and Mark 3:7-12).
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