Got Jealous?

I fell headlong, like a drunk onto the sidewalk, into another Kelly Minter Bible study last night.  I was actually giddy to get started, having wet my taste for Miss Minter's writing this summer with her study of the book of Ruth.  A combination of fantastic, thought-provoking writing and a great group of gals led me to crave more.

The topic this time is idols.  Titled "No Other Gods", it is an exploration of what we put ahead of God in our daily lives.  Not an easy topic for sure, definitely one requiring much cob-web clearing and personal reflection.  But, as I see, standing on the edge of being immersed in study, one very worth diving into.

Before we even got properly out of the gate, we had already approached the concept that scripture calls God "jealous".  Now, for many, Oprah Winfrey being the best known, this concept of jealousy is rooted in what we humans FEEL emotionally.  And, as Ms. Winfrey will attest, a God described as "jealous" is a big turnoff, if you leave the definition at just that.

To point, men and women use jealousy in ways that we think will "advance" relationships when, in fact, adding negative emotions to the mix only creates an atmosphere that is ripe for violence.  We use jealousy to "attract" people to us or "get back" at people who are no longer attracted.  In every Earthly way of the word, jealousy is a negative emotion which creates negative thoughts and actions.

But, when God defines jealousy, He is referring to it from a positive standpoint.  Literally, it means that He wants our undivided attention for OUR OWN GOOD. 

It seems, in scriptural context, that God was concerned about Ba'al worship, Ba'al being the God of fertility, back in Old Testament times.  Those who worshiped Ba'al also professed to worship the one, true God.  And, therein, conflict was created:  God specifically commanded that HE was the only one worthy of worship.  Adding Ba'al to the mix, as kind of a "back burner", "just in case" God, wasn't sitting well with Him.

And, there is where His jealousy comes from:  He is so protective of His people, so concerned about us living lives that are good and right, that He doesn't want anything, especially the Ba'als of this world to get in the way of us having a one-on-one relationship with Him.

When we begin to value money or our children or our time over God (some of the Ba'als of today), we have provoked that jealousy.  He has a strong desire to bring us back into the fold, back into right relationship with Him.  He doesn't want to see us hurt by desires that are baseless and Earthly.

I so wish that we could transcend the negative, ungodly definition of jealousy and see that it has positive implications in our lives.  It is God's desire for us to live in the light, under the leadership of He who loves us enough to tell us "No, no.  Don't put your trust in those others.  Put your trust in me alone."

And, what separates those who are trusting God instead of idols is so simple yet, oftentimes, so hard to consistently achieve.  It all boils down to our daily, sometimes hourly, decisions.

As Dave Ramsay is famous for saying (and I will botch trying to quote):  if I want to know what is important in your life, I'll need to see your checkbook and your calendar.  Where you spend your money and your time says a lot about you.

We have to consciously determine that all our decisions, including our money and our time, are going to be guided by what God thinks is important.  And, when we cooperate with His plan, He frees us from the slavery of other idols.

What are the idols in your life?  People?  Money?  Status?  The corporate ladder?  What is crowding God out, putting something else in the number one spot?

Think about it.  Reflect on it.  And change it for the better.  Because, today and always, God has a plan to pull you out from under the bondage of slavery to other idols.

In this moment, make the decision that His plan for your life is more important than anything else this world has to offer.  And align what you do with what you want to do in Christ.  

While I can't guarantee an easy road, I can guarantee a fulfilling life.  And, it all starts with deciding that you believe that God should be numero uno.

Take that step.  Don't be shy.  He's waiting.