Scripture: 1 Samuel 20:42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’”
Devotional: Another prominent example of loyalty in the Bible is between Jonathan and David. Before David was king, Saul was the king of Israel. Jonathan was Saul’s son. And Jonathan and David became very good friends. In fact, the Bible says that the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together.
Little did these two men know how their friendship would be tested. As Saul became jealous of David, he had his sights set on killing him. He did not inform Jonathan of this, but David had a hunch. When David talked to Jonathan, the two came up with a plan for David to be alerted if Saul was going to try and kill him.
When Saul does attempt to kill David, Jonathan does not stand by. Despite Saul being his dad, Jonathan shows his loyalty and allegiance to David by telling David of his father’s plan. Even with uncertain tension, Jonathan trusts in God’s plan for him and David. May we be people who show loyalty when it is called for, regardless of how it may look to those around us.
Reflect:
- How, like Jonathan, could you put aside what others may say and think of you in order to show loyalty to someone or something?