IMITATE THEIR FAITH/JONATHAN

 The Challenge of Conflicting Loyalties

At first, Saul was very fond of David and placed him in charge of his army. Before long, though, Saul fell victim to the very enemy that failed to conquer Jonathan-jealousy.  David met with victory after victory against Israel's enemies, the Philistines.  David thus won praise and admiration.  Some women  of Israel even sang:  "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."  Saul did not like that song.  "From that day on,"  we read, "Saul was always looking at David suspiciously." ( 1 Samuel 18:7, 9)  He feared that David would try to take the kingship from him. That was foolish on Saul's part. True, David knew that he was to succeed Saul, but he never even considered supplanting Jehovah's anointed king while the man still reigned!

Saul schemed to get David killed in battle, but nothing worked. David kept winning battles and growing in the esteem of the people.  Saul's next move was to try to unite his household -all his servants and his eldest son-in a plot to kill David!  Imagine how sick at heart Jonathan must have been to see his father act that way!  (1 Samuel 18:25-30; 19:1)  Jonathan was a loyal son, but he was also loyal to his friend. Now that those two loyalties seemed to be in conflict which one would win out? 

Jonathan spoke up : "The king should not be against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you and what he has done for you has benefited you. He risked his life to strike down the Philistine, so that Jehovah  brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and you were overjoyed.  So why should you sin against blood in having David put to death for no reason?"  In a rare moment of reasonableness, Saul listened to Jonathan and even swore not to harm David.  But Saul was not man of his  word. After David had more successes, Saul was so full of jealous rage that he hurled a spear at him!  (1 Samuel 19:4-6, 9, 10)  But David escaped and fled Saul's court.

Have you ever faced conflicting loyalties?  It can be painful. In such situations, some would advise you that family should always come first. But Jonathan   knew better. How could his loyalty to  Jehovah  rule his decision.  That was why he stood up for David.  Still, although Jonathan's loyalty to God came  first, he proved loyal to his father, by counseling him honestly instead of telling him what he wanted to hear.  Each one of us would benefit by imitating the way Jonathan showed loyalty. 

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH/JONATHAN - The Price of Loyalty

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