Brotherhood

 

    There is something special about a brotherhood.  Women tend to gravitate to each other and desire companionship.  When we come together things happen.  However, men function very differently.  When men decide to open up to each other it is powerful.  A brotherhood is bond unlike any other.

    Jonathan by all rights could have been jealous of David like his father.  He could have rejected him as a lowly young man from the field.  Instead, he elevated David to be his equal in society and the family.  Some people pervert their relationship, but they were like close brothers and nothing else.

    David did not have to trust Jonathan.  He could have been suspicious of his motives, but he never was.  He trusted Jonathan with his very life.  They worked together to find out the true motive of Saul since he seemed to be fine one day and murderous the next.  Jonathan worked against his father for David.  David knew that Saul did not know that he had been secretly anointed as the next king, so he was confused and hurt over Saul's hatred.

    The point of the test for Saul was to bring peace, not division, but David's life was at stake.  Something had to be done.  They worked out a plan with God in the mix, which is why it worked perfectly.  Saul in his anger revealed his true heart.  Everyone at dinner could see his hatred for David.  Jonathan understood that his father really did want David dead and felt shame for Saul.  Jonathan unknowingly risked his own life to save his friend.

    When they were separated for David's safety, they both mourned the loss.  Separation is a loss.  Even separated, their friendship was witnessed by God through their covenants that they made to each other.  Their covenant went beyond them to their future families.

    We would all be blessed to have a friend like Jonathan and David.  A friendship like what they had is rare.  That is sad because we all need people that we are close to and can count on like that: a brotherhood or a sisterhood.  

1 Samuel 20