Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. (ESV)

Have you ever been scrolling on social media and found yourself muttering your own commentary to someone’s posts? We see Saul struggling with this same attitude in the chapters leading up to today’s verses. Samuel has anointed David to be the next king of Israel.  God’s presence is no longer with Saul, but is now on David, which becomes evident when he faces Goliath, displaying courage that no other Israelite possessed. As David grows in popularity, Saul’s jealousy grows, and he begins to distrust and even try to kill David. Saul removes David, his court musician, from his presence, hoping he will be killed in battle. Instead, David only has more success and grows in favor with the Israelites.  

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Today’s Scripture got me thinking about perspectives. There is a great deal going on here: Saul’s lack of reverence for God, not obeying, not trusting, etc., but I would like to focus for a minute on the jealousy we see in Saul. Saul likely sees in David this good-looking, clearly talented shepherd boy, who by cultural standards, should be a nobody, yet he is successful in all he does. And to top it off, he is growing in popularity among the people!  

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Saul had his own sin to contend with, but I cannot help but relate to his pity-party mentality. He is fearful of God’s power in David, and his jealousy consumes him. Likely, Saul recognizes the confidence David possesses is evidence of the Lord’s favor, because he once had that confidence, too. But now, Saul knows God is not with him.

I love the saying that goes something like, “We struggle with insecurity because we compare our ‘behind the scenes’ to everyone else’s ‘highlight reel.’” We see this in reference to social media, showing perfection versus “real life.” I know I have been guilty of looking around at my crumb-adorned floors, cluttered table, and laundry piles and comparing them to the tranquility of a fresh and clean home that no one can possibly “live in,” wishing I had it all together like so and so. One thing I fail to consider is that those posts do not show me the whole story. My perspective has been skewed. I have taken someone else’s highlight reel and compared it to my whole life, and jealousy creeps its way into my heart.  

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Saul likely played this “highlight reel” version of David’s story in his mind over and over, but David lived a different reality. While David had been anointed king, he had YEARS of waiting, likely questioning God about his timing to fulfill the calling placed on David's life. I imagine David playing out the order of events in his mind: He may have imagined he would play for Saul, find favor in his sight, and Saul would agree that David should become the next king, making it all a peaceful, easy transition.

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Unfortunately, an easy transition, it was NOT! David could not have foreseen the journey he would endure to finally become king. While God WAS with David, and he DID have success in all he did; his reality was also fraught with running for his life. David’s life was not the charmed perfection Saul may have envisioned. David knew God was with him, but he still spends a good chunk of the Psalms crying out to God about the hard parts of waiting and being pursued by his enemy. David gets raw and real with God as he waits to step into the calling God placed on him. His sorrows are poured out, and he laments. His uncertainties are laid down as he trusts God’s plan, not yet revealed to him. Yet David is also quick to attribute his successes to the Lord, and he worships. And God is with him through it ALL.  

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God is with you, too. What comparison is eating at you, and you need to refocus on God’s plan for YOU? What uncertainty do you need to give to God and trust him with? What victories are you celebrating that you need to ascribe praise to God for? I pray, like David, you will be raw and real with God today, knowing he is with you even when life does not look like a highlight reel.  

God, we praise you and thank you for your love and that you are with us in all of life. Thank you that you are God, you are in control, and we are not! God, I pray that you would remind us of your presence today. If we fall into the trap of comparison, remind us that you love us right where we are. You are our confident hope as we face life’s uncertainties. You deserve all our worship and praise because, apart from you, we can do nothing. Please continue to be with us in our daily walk as we seek to live out your purpose for us, and like David, seek you in it ALL. Amen.