This year in Sunday School we have been reading and discussing the Old Testament of the Bible. Today we were reading in Samuel about David, Saul, and Jonathan. It was a very interesting lesson for me, one filled with a lot of teaching. It made me think deeply about a lot of things. It made me realize a lot of things I need to change, things I need to work on, and things, that I have already started to work on because of things I had noticed.
One quote given during the lesson really hit me hard. It was from Ezra Taft Benson:
“Saul became an enemy to David through pride. He was jealous because the crowds of Israelite women were singing that ‘Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’ (1 Samuel 18:7; see also 1 Samuel 18:6, 8).
“The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment. … ‘What will men think of me?’ weighs heavier than ‘What will God think of me?’ …
“Fear of men’s judgment manifests itself in competition for men’s approval. The proud love ‘the praise of men more than the praise of God’ (John 12:42–43). Our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest. Jesus said He did ‘always those things’ that pleased God (John 8:29). Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?
“Some prideful people are not so concerned as to whether their wages meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than someone else’s. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. …
“When pride has a hold on our hearts, we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men’s judgment. The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God, and the proud let go of the iron rod” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 4–5; or Ensign, May 1989, 5).
As we went through the lesson it was interesting to me to learn about Jonathan and his friendship with David, even though David was getting everything and Jonathan wasn't. Jonathan had done just as great things as David, and yet, he was able to be happy for David, and not only that, support him.
On the other hand, we have Saul, who was so deep in his jealousy for David that he tried to kill him three times! Can you imagine being that jealous of someone?
I know there have been times where I have been jealous of people. Whether it be things that they have, or love and recognition that they are receiving that I want for myself, this lesson has really made me step back and look at how I treat people. It also made me think hard about how feeling jealous of people or having the "grass is greener" attitude, is a form of pride. I think oftentimes we look at pride and view it as something we have when we are proud of ourselves for certain accomplishments (look at me, look at what I have), and we don't realize that being jealous is a form of pride.
I know that previously, I had already started changing how I respond to things that people write on facebook when they are sharing their joy. Maybe they are going on an amazing trip, buying a new house, having a baby, etc... I found a common thing for people to say was "I am jealous!" It gave me pause, and I decided that I would share in their joy. I found that when I began to do that, I didn't feel any longing for what they had, what they had achieved, or anything else. I found that I was truly happy for them.
This lesson also taught me that, instead of comparing myself to others, I should really be focused on what God wants me to have, and how I can do the best I can to achieve what he wants me to. Part of that, is by being a true friend.
Mosiah 18:9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
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