The Javelin of Saul: Serving in the Shadow of an Adversary

Jealousy. The person who is over you is envious of your potential. The modern-day ‘David’ is horrified to find himself at the receiving end of Saul’s deadly javelin. Human desire for ascendancy seeks to thwart divine design before it can be fully realized. The king leaves his throne to hunt the shepherd boy… Who has not felt it? The unexpected jab of a verbal weapon aimed at you with murderous intention by the nervous boss, the insecure colleague whose ‘seniority’ is threatened, or the ‘friend’ who turns on you. Jealousy is a fact of life. People come out swinging when their positions are threatened. Is it possible to serve with dignity when jealousy sits in the seat of power? Where does jealousy originate? Is any of this really about you, or is there something more sinister churning beneath the surface? Every leader, mentor or leader in training must be aware of the real battleground. Every person who serves under leadership must be prepared to encounter this challenge. It is crucial that we actively confront the forces that lurk, fomenting hate and creating division in order to serve a more deadly cause.