Jealousy

When I started going to church over the last few years (few = 3), I was confused at this video segment showing a graffiti-style painter reciting The 10 Commandments, specifically the passage where it states that God is a jealous God.  All this time later, I start thinking about the parallel of man's jealousy and God's jealousy.  Jealousy can be inspired by a variety of things and it can be attached to other things as well.  But jealousy at its root is essentially when a person wants love from someone and isn't getting enough or any from implied person.  People have killed their lovers out of jealousy.  It is an excruciating feeling.  It's like suffocation with no assurance of a nearby end.  Obviously, killing is not an answer.  It makes one less person on your hit list, but the odds of having your expectations met by someone else that comes along are slim to none.  This world would go from sometimes unbearably cruel to constant agonizing loneliness.
Jesus summed The 10 Commandments, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy into two laws:
Love God with all your heart and love your fellow man as yourself.

Those are two laws that God always honors.  I think given the nature of jealousy and its place at the list of ten commandments, one can see both laws being carried out in one swoop in the sacrificing of Jesus The Christ of Nazareth, who is the human embodiment of God.

I was reading part of The Old Testament this afternoon, specifically Kings 1, and realized how jaded I am.  Quotes from minor players in The Bible sounded aloud come across as snarky and bitter.  It's not because of what is written, but because of how I've come to expect people to talk.
For instance (NIV) " "How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 
am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 
Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? 
Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish."
To me, it sounded like the person quoted saying all of that was grumbling about his old age and rebuking the king for offering the reward given him.  But that is most likely because of 1) the sadness that permeates my mind when I think of old age and 2) I often say or think "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
I think the teachings of Jesus if they were to be read in earnest would blow this world wide open.  I sat in tears one Sunday as I found myself realizing the need to follow the pleas of my family members, who have been urging me to reduce my output of negative criticism.
I was invited to share in a Bible-study that my mom was doing with a disparate group of Christians and one of the questions pertained to John The Baptist and his reaction to Jesus requesting Baptism from John the Baptist.
 (NIV)

"  

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

"

One might look at this and think of it as Jesus dotting his I's and crossing his T's, like a contractual obligation based on a technicality.  I now think of this as a footnote of God's willingness to lead His people by example.  I might think more of it if I ever learn to understand and appreciate Baptism.  That's for another blog post.