Jealousy

Jealous people do drastic things. A few years ago, an accomplished professional woman threw her career away by driving non-stop from Texas to Florida to kill a rival for her lover's affection. Regularly we read of car windows being smashed, of damaging ads put in newspapers, of scenes in restaurants. 
 
The people we love most can hurt us most. That's why jealousy can be so destructive - there's an element of payback involved.
 
Paul raises a frightening image in 1 Cor 10: 22: "Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?"
 
Paul writes this in the context of sacrificing to idols; he says that we can't drink the Lord's cup and the cup of demons too. The Lord will not tolerate it. He will become jealous.
 
Wow, if that happens, then what? What kind of damage could a jilted God do? Well, let's see, He could send enough fire and brimstone to wipe out the city (Sodom). He could send a disease (the golden calf) or an infestation of serpents (in the wilderness). Or he could send a conquering army to drag us all into captivity (Babylon). Or, being God, He could do something completely different, like squish this planet like a bug.
 
Too often, as with my earthly relationships, I push the boundaries because God loves me so much. I think I can get away with things because God is safe; He cares about me. Just like we think our spouse will never leave, however badly we behave, we tend to rely on forgiveness to get us through.
 
Paul points out the danger in thinking like that. If we're too blatant or intransigent in our sin, God could grow jealous; He has in the past. Who can stand against that?
 
The only way to prevent jealousy is unfailing faithfulness. That's whfriends partners and friends want. It's what God demands. And it needs to be our standard. Anything else is not only wrong, it's dangerous.