Don't Miss the Gift

Jonathan and David

Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. I Samuel 18: 1-4

David stood, a lowly shepherd boy, before the king of Israel with Goliath head in his hand, an embodiment of raw courage. The great giant had been defeated by a mere lad! Can you remember the Sunday school song, only a boy named David, only a stone and sling….? Jonathan must have marveled at him, the day they first met!

You see, Goliath had wreaked havoc over forty days. King Saul and his army had been greatly afraid! They quivered in fear and dreamed of a hero. David stood to champion the king, but his own brother knocked him down, “Go back to your sheep”, he’d sneered. David still stood, and again they knocked him down. But word got out. Was Saul curious or just desperate when he sent for the brave boy? David was confident. Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. I Samuel 17:32. What was a giant…he’d already killed a lion and bear with his two hands.

18:1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. Jonathan was heir to the throne but David was God’s anointed. Can you see Jonathan that day? Watching this all unfold! Immediately he loved David. In fact, his first act of friendship was personal sacrifice. Giving David his belongings was just a foreshadowing of the greater loss he would suffer for his friend.

He never would be the king of Israel.

What is friendship to you?

Friendship is Jessica Dacharux.

And then, friendship is as everyday as my daily cup of coffee. My motor just doesn’t start without my mama or my sister. I can’t tell you when my mother went from being “mom” to one of my closest confidants, most likely when I realized she has more wisdom than I have sense. And then there's Fran , my wonderful sister Fran! She’s the second half of my brain… Together we have the answers to all the world’s problems. Oddly enough, we keep our ingenuity low key...…. But once we master back-chat and embarrassing pet behaviors, watch out Washington!

It seems so easy.

But we all know the truth. Friendship is hard work. For the three friends I have mentioned, I’ve run through thirty. They didn’t stick or I didn’t stay. Some were simply not meant to be, and that’s God’s grace. Jonathan would tell us that friendship is a gift you give away. Are you a Jonathan or a David? So many, many times I have been a David, the recipient.

I wonder though, did David doubt? Why would Jonathan, the son of a king, seek the company of a boy so ordinary? Yet, we know that David was far from average, he was chosen by The Most High. We have no reason to believe that David ever wavered. He accepted the gift as it was offered. These two were bound to each other by loyalty, responsibility and love.

Insecurities hinder relationships.

I’m guilty. I’ve cheated myself out of friendships. She's not really interested in me… “so and so” just wants something, we don’t have anything in common, my house is too messy, she's prettier than me, my butts too big…..(Yeah, these really are on a list of my insecurities!) Don’t be robbed. Friendship isn’t for the elite; it’s available for us all.

Accept it.

This sweet friend has a family that I admire and a joy that is contagious. She longs for the north, but lives in the south. And I'm just grateful that God brought her my way.