Devotionals
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
If I look at my Facebook page, I have lots of friends. But in reality they are not all friends but many are just people who attended the same school, worked in the same office, or went to the same church.
True friends are rare and if one is lucky they may have two or three “friends” during their lifetime.
Who is a true friend? According to the Bible, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13 Thanks to God, we do not have to die for friends but we are to love them so much that we would protect them from harm if necessary.
When I think of friendships in the Bible, I think of Jonathan and David. Jonathan was the son of a king, and David was a shepherd. In today’s terms, it would be like the daughter of the president being friends with a farmer’s daughter. It would be very unlikely. However, Jonathan and David met and became best friends.
To make matters worse, Jonathan’s dad, King Saul seemed to like David better at first. Most of us would have been jealous but not Jonathan. He loved his friend so much that he was happy his father did as well. Later, when King Saul became jealous of David and tried to have him killed it was Jonathan who warned David and helped him escape. Jonathan risked his life for his friend, David. If his father had found out that he was the one who warned and helped David get away, his father might have had him harmed or thrown out of the family, it was a big risk for Jonathan.
Years later after David had become the king of Israel and Jonathan had died David missed Jonathan. So he asked if there were any members of Jonathan’s family still living. He was told that Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son still lived nearby, and he was crippled. David wanted to show kindness to his best friend’s son, so he sent for Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth was probably scared when he brought to David. After all; his grandfather Saul had tried to kill David many times. But David was kind to Mephibosheth and told him that he would give him all of the lands owned by Saul and that the young man would always be allowed to eat at David’s table. Even though, Mephilbosheth’s grandfather had mistreated David and Jonathan was no longer around, David honored his friendship with Jonathan by taking care of his son.
Friendships like the one between Jonathan and David are rare, especially in today’s world when we are all busy and often think of ourselves more than others. But that is not what God had in mind for friends. He wants us to all love, protect, and take care of each other. God wants all of us to be friends with each other.
Are you popular and have lots of friends or are you like most people and have just one or two friends? Or maybe you are not sure whether or not someone is your friend. When we look at David’s and Jonathan’s friendship, we see that a friend is someone who likes you even if you may not be as rich or have the fads. They like you for you not what you can or cannot buy them. A friend protects you from harm they do not talk about you behind your back or ask you to do something you know is wrong. In fact, a friend wants you always to do the right thing, and they will tell you if they think you are about to do something wrong. They make time for you when you need to talk about something that is bothering you, and they keep what you tell them to themselves.
Maybe you want a friend like David but have not found one yet. How does one begin a friendship such as Jonathan and David had? Proverbs 17 says a “friend loves at all times.” In other words, not just when you have a little extra time or if the mood suits but at all times. Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Friends must be kind, patient, and willing to forgive one another. Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
Friends, true friends such as David and Jonathan are a blessing from God. But one has to be willing to be a friend by giving up time to spend with each other, being kind, willing to forgive each other if necessary, to protect each other from harm, accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and support each other through every situation.
Life can be hard especially and some people can be mean. But if you are willing to spend the time to develop a friendship with someone, that is a blessing that can last a lifetime. Even when you live miles away from each other, you can remain BFFs.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your gift of friendship. I ask you to bless my friends today and guide me in being a godly friend. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR
Reader Count & Comments
Date
Love this! So inspired by Jonathan's love for David in spite of the fact Dvid was more favored for the kingdom than he. Thank you.
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 589 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Karen White or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 589 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.