1 Samuel 18:1-3
Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
I have been thinking recently about how people become family and I was reminded of one of my favorite stories. In 1 Samuel 18 Saul brings David into his household and David becomes best friends with Jonathan, Saul's son. They become more then friends very quickly, they become brothers. Jonathan makes a covenant with David, a bond unbreakable because he loved David as himself. With that comes a lifetime of them serving each other, pushing each other to be the best in all of Israel, watching out for each other, and ultimately making sacrifices for each other that cost each of them everything at one point or another. Yet it did not matter to either of them because they were brothers, they were two people who loved each other greater than themselves.
So What?
Is this a depiction of your friendships? Do you push your friends to be the best they can be? Do they stick with you during the toughest of times, standing by you no matter what? Would you die for your friends? If the answer is no then you should look for others that will build you up as David and Jonathan did. That might take effort to continue as life gets hard but it is worth every second. It also might take you growing with friends in this, they will not be able to do this perfectly-just like you cant. So give everyone grace! Lets become a generation of men and woman who walk boldly together as a family just like David and Jonathan. WE can change to world one relationship at a time.
