Stop the Madness: Confronting Competitive Jealousy in Leadership - Shelia Elston

Jealousy can be responsible for the breakdown of relationships within the body of Christ. The green-eyed monster can subtly creep into the heart of leaders, causing tension and division within a local congregation and the body of Christ. This game of war is visible to an observant audience who is taking mental notes during this conflict. The consequences are devastating to the accused and also detrimental to the innocent bystanders.Stop the Madness examines the relationship between Saul and David, with jealousy being the root cause of the tension. Saul became jealous of David after the people celebrated Davids victory over Goliath. They dedicated a song in Davids honor, attributing more victories to David than to Saul. This caused Sauls heart towards David to transform and their relationship to go from love to hate. The love Saul once had for David dammed up because of deep-seated insecurities that triggered the madness. Their relationship cautions leaders to rid their hearts of any hidden insecurities to not repeat thesame madman behavior. Sauls behavior serves as a tutor to teach pastors what not to do when their leader gains favor and has bigger platforms as God enlarges their territory. It is my prayer that Stop the Madness will bring humility, healing, reconciliation, and unity to relationships tainted by jealousy.