Male Friendship 101: David, Jon, & Iron MikeSample

1 Samuel 14:6, "Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few."

Friendships need a foundation; you've got to have something to build on.

Think about Jonathan and David—two men from opposite sides of the track.

One is the crown prince, the son of a king . . . the other is a shepherd boy, the son of a farmer.

One is big city, living in a palace . . . the other lives in the sticks.

One has all the privilege life has to offer . . . the other has no real access to the amenities of life.

Yet scripture points to the fact that Jonathan's and David's hearts were one. The crown prince and harp-playing shepherd boy were soul brothers—kindred spirits. What was the connection? What was the uncommon commonality that David and Jonathan shared? The answer is their love for the Lord.

Jonathan and David shared a fire and passion for God. Both men feared, believed, and trusted the Lord. No doubt, when Jonathan heard of David's victory over Goliath, God's faithfulness in his own victory came racing to mind (1 Sam. 14:6). Jonathan had an unshakeable faith in God, and so did David (1 Sam 17:37).

There is one word I use to describe most friendships today: surface. Most friendships have very little depth—the shallowness is unending. Why? It's because there's no foundation. There is nothing to build on.

Men, I am convinced that shallow, surface friendships with people stem from a superficial relationship with God. Because the vertical has no depth, the horizontal has nowhere to go. I've often shared, "friendships built on things that fade will eventually disappear."

The deeper a man's relationship with God, the greater his potential for deep, committed friendship. Depth on the horizontal stems from depth on the vertical. David and Jonathan are born of opposite extremes but find an unbreakable bond in the Lord.

Lesson: Going deep with God opens the door to true devotion to other men. In what ways can you deepen your relationship with God?