The receiving end of resentment (Pt.1)

“Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.”-1 Samuel 18:1-9

How are we to behave when we are on the receiving end of someone else’s resentment? So often when we discuss resentment, we are discussing the dangers of holding it ourselves and how that impact our lives. However, we also need to look at how to respond to resentment when we have become the target of it. 

David became the source of great displeasure for Saul, when greater victories and successes were attributed to David rather than to himself. In fact, vs.9 tells us that Saul began to eye David. Saul could bot appreciate the praise being heaped on David and it soon became the seed of his resentment. 

Resentment is a feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as a wrong, insult, or injury. 

The displeasure Saul felt toward David swelled into a desire to destroy him by any means:

“And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice. Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul.”-1 Samuel 18:10-12

This would not be the only time that Saul would attempt to pin David to the wall with his spear (1 Samuel 19:9-10). However, pinning someone to the wall isn’t always done with a spear; in our lives it is done mostly with words and vicious behaviors. Nevertheless, Saul’s wickedness is not the focus of our study. What we are looking to glean from is David’s response to Saul’s attacks. 

It’s important to understand that when the spears began to fly, David did not stick around to be pierced through by Saul. He removed himself whenever he could from these difficult moments. 

However, removing ourselves is not always an option and so David adopted another way of handling Saul’s persistent attacks: 

“And David behaved wisely, in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.”-1 Samuel 18:14. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church