Envy kills the one who harbours it, not the one who is its object
"And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul..." (1 Samuel 18: 6-10)
It was Saul they came to meet and welcome back from battle. It was David they honoured. What man would not feel jealous?
I mean, Saul was the king. In fact, he was the one that announced David, so to speak. He was the one who gave David a platform to shine, humanly speaking. He was the one who believed in David enough to allow him face Goliath. And finally, he was the one who crowned David the head of all his warriors after the victory. He was the boss.
But hear what the women sang, "Saul slained thousands, but David slained ten thousands." Saul pretended not to notice, but the seed of envy had been planted in his heart.
How could they ascribe such honour to David, he asked? How could David steal his show, he queried. He allowed that seed to take root. He began to 'eye' David.
Because he didn't banish that thought as it came, because he allowed it to take root, because he didn't replace it with a positive one and perhaps, couple it with an act to show honour, too, the Bible says, the very following day, he became resident for an evil spirit. Eventually, he died on the battlefield.
Envy kills the one who harbours it. Not the one who is its object. What are you allowing envy do to you?
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