Bible Reflections From Scripture Union Volume OneSample

True Friendship
Read 1 Samuel 20:1-42

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself. 1 Samuel 20:17

'Hesedh' is a Hebrew word, the meaning of which is a combination of love and loyalty. True friendship is based on love and loyalty. The friendship between Jonathan and David has been celebrated through the ages as a fine example of true friendship.

David did not want any misunderstanding between himself and Jonathan. That’s why he risked his life to return to Saul’s territory to see Jonathan. He had to explain to Jonathan that if he did not leave, Saul would kill him. Though he should have known better, Jonathan couldn’t believe that his father would so quickly return to his murderous ways (v 2). However, after a test devised by the both of them, Jonathan realised that his father was mad enough not only to kill David but also to kill him (v 33). However, such was his friendship with David that it was his father’s treatment of David rather than him that hurt Jonathan.

Both Jonathan and David were mighty warriors but they were not afraid to reveal to each other their deepest feelings, hopes and fears (vs 8, 14-15). Since Jonathan was the crown prince who would never be king, and David was the one who had been anointed to be king, it would have been natural for them to be hostile toward each other. But there was not even a hint of hostility or jealousy between them. Theirs was a true friendship.

Women are usually able to share in depth with their girlfriends and thus resolve their problems. Men tend to bottle up their feelings. They think it’s a sign of weakness to talk about their problems. True friendship, that is based on love and loyalty, requires us to be open and honest with one another. If you don’t have any true friends, ask God to search you and show you if you need to make any changes in your life.