Friendship: David and Jonathan

This week I was reading through 1st and 2nd Samuel for my personal devotions. Most of us are very familiar with the story and friendship of David and Jonathan, and I think sometimes we forget what real friendships are in today's take-it-or-leave-it culture. People place value in others that isn't returned, or they don't return the value of those who love them. But it was not so with David and Jonathan.

These two men made a covenant with each other. The Bible says "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul". David has his own amazing life story, and he has always been my favorite Bible character, but Jonathan's loyalty to David is almost unbelievable. As the son of King Saul, Jonathan would have been expected to succeed his father, but he not only recognizes David as the next in line for the throne, but Jonathan also gives his loyalty and friendship to him. And David returns it, too. Jonathan realizes that God has chosen David as the king after Saul, and he gives his allegiance to David. He gave up his own plans to God, and submitted and embraced the fact that David would be king because God chose him to be.

And even though Jonathan didn't live very long to live out his side of their covenant, he was faithful in what he could do. And when he died, David faithfully carried out his end of the covenant even to the descendents of Jonathan. He doesn't just give his loyalty to Jonathan, the king's son (the king who wanted to kill David), but he also remembers his promise and provides for Mephibosheth--Jonathan's crippled son--and possibly other family members and servants of Jonathan, as well.

And so these two were a good reminder again this week on some of the aspects of friendship: loyalty, sacrifice, love, allegiance. Jonathan didn't give up on David just because his father wanted to kill him. He didn't desert David when David had to flee from Saul. And David didn't forget his promise to Jonathan even when Jonathan was gone.

I read a quote by Matt Chandler on social media a few days ago...

Love says, "I've seen the ugly parts of you, and I'm staying." 

David and Jonathan weren't perfect, but I think they understood the meaning of friendship pretty well for the short time they were together. And I think this is just one of the many friendship examples that God gave us, so that we would learn how to be loyal to the friendship around us. Even Jesus called His disciples friends, for He was truly the Friend of Sinners.