A friend when in dire straits

Have we heard of people betraying the other person, when one person trusted the other?
It happens all the time in the world around us. Why, it happens within the church as well.

It's a nasty feeling when we hear of someone who was betrayed by his/her friend - let alone, when we are involved.
How about this?
- Have we ever felt betrayed by someone, whom we trusted?
- Have we done that to people close to us?


We are going to look at a story from the Bible, where a person trusted his friend, even when things didn't look like it - and he was rewarded for that act.
In fact, both of them were rewarded - because it takes 2 to come together to form that kind of trust.

I Samuel 20:1,2 (NIV) - Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?”
“Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!”

Leading to this conversation was Saul's rage and raving madness in wanting David killed.

In the early verses of chp.18, we see that even before Saul contemplated killing David, Saul's son Jonathan 'became one in spirit with David' and established a covenant of friendship.

And in chp.19 opening verses, its pretty obvious that Saul didn't like David's growing popularity among his citizens that he gathered his inner circle and conveyed his plans to kill David - Jonathan was present too!

Now that Saul went in search of David to Naioth to kill him, David turns to Jonathan for help .. and at first glance Jonathan's reply seems flattering.

Imagine ourself in David's shoes and consider the response given by Jonathan - we would think that Jonathan is playing the game with Saul in betraying the 'covenant friendship'.
What is so open and obvious is seemingly covered up by Jonathan or at least it looks like it at face value.

- Is Jonathan trying to protect his father, Saul's image?
- Is Jonathan not concerned about his covenant with David (cf. I Sam. 18:1-4)

An old proverb is quoted very often: "A friend in need, is a friend indeed"!

The test of true friendship will reveal its true colours - ie: when things are not going well.

But take a close look at the following verses in chp.19 (vs.4-6) ... "Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.
5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”
⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”

Jonathan had every right to believe that Saul was genuine in this .. in fact, he even comes and tells David everything that happened there - which is probably why David trusted his friend even when Saul was full-on after his life notwithstanding the travel he undertakes in order to find David, forgetting all about the oath he had taken a few days ago.

Jonathan's response in the Hebrew text (in vs.2) is emphatic, as he insists vehemently and denies that David's life is in danger.
Surely, he (Jonathan) was convinced, as a result of that conversation he'd had with his father and the vow that Saul had taken - hence he must be safe!

Jonathan, a true friend is faithful not just to David, but also to his dad - not wanting to betray either one.

And at the center of that belief was his conviction that his father would always confide in him - though Saul's action were proving otherwise.

How many of us can say that of us in our life?
- Do we care enough to not smear the reputation of those around us, when we have an opportunity?
- Do we care enough to stick our neck out in the cutting block, when our friends need us?
- Do we care for the overall good of others, even if it means letting go of things, which we could enjoy otherwise?

Jonathan, because he valued his own words and commitment, was expecting those around him to do the same as well or at least gave them the opportunity to do so.
When we do well, it spurs others to good works.

I'd rather be proved wrong in believing the best about others than live in a state of cynical suspicion, where I'm just waiting for them to do their worst.
One of the greatest gifts we can be given is the confidence of others, and the knowledge that they really do believe in us.

A prayer:
Lord, save me (us) from cynicism. Help me (us) to trust and risk disappointment, rather than believe that others will fail me. Help me (us) to be a friend to those in need of my friendship. Amen.