And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? (1 Samuel 17:23-29)
Today's Morsel: Have you ever wondered why some folk gets so angry and mad at other's success? Often, some may relate it to a person being prejudice, when in reality it's just plain envy and jealousy. Solomon said, "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy" (Proverbs 27:4)? When we look at David's family, David was the youngest of the sons of Jesse and Eliab was the eldest. When David chose to fight Goliath, Eliab became angry at him. I believe his anger was not because David said that he would fight Goliath, but because David had already been anointed to be king of Israel over him. He probably felt, after his rejection by Samuel the prophet that God had not chosen him to be king, that David was flaunting and rubbing his authority in his face. When he lashed out at David with his anger, envy, and jealousy, David just simply said, "Is there not a cause?" David did not respond in kind. Even the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes became so angry at Jesus because of His anointing that they went about to kill Him. And they succeeded in what they desired to do. James said, "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy"(James 3:14-17). We are not called by God to get angry at another's success, but to rejoice with them. So the next time someone is rewarded or elevated for their success, don't get angry, but rejoice.
Sing: Rejoice for the steps, of a righteous man, they are ordered of God, they are ordered of God. Rejoice for the steps, of a righteous man, they are ordered of God.
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