Saul was jealous of David. David had served Israel well as a great warrior for the king, but Saul feared that David was more popular and could eventually take his place on the throne. So one day, the king told his son Jonathan and all his royal attendants that David must be killed. This saddened Jonathan, so he warned his friend David. He told David to be on guard, to hide in the field where he currently was, and to stay there until he had a chance to try to change his father’s mind.
Jonathan told David to hide in the field where he currently was because he would go to that same field the next morning with his father. Quite possibly, he wanted David to be present, so that he could overhear his conversation with the king. Saul surely knew that David was Jonathan’s friend, so why would he let him in on his plans? The reason is because God wanted Jonathan to know what his father was about to do! Otherwise, he could not have protected David.
The next morning, Jonathan met with his father, on behalf of his friend, just as he had promised; and the Bible says he “spoke well” of David. He begged Saul not to hurt David, who had been a faithful servant to the King. He reminded Saul that David had not done any wrong and he had helped Saul in many ways. When David killed Goliath, he could have himself died, as he had been only a young shepherd boy and Goliath a fierce soldier; but he was willing to go into battle anyway. Saul was “glad” when Goliath was defeated, so why would he want to kill his greatest warrior (“an innocent man”), for no reason?
Thankfully, Jonathan changed Saul’s mind! He took an oath and made a promise to Jonathan: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.” Jonathan was surely overjoyed to have convinced Saul to spare his friend’s life! He went to David and told him what Saul had said. Then, he brought David to the palace to reconcile with his father; and “David was with Saul as before.” Saul accepted David back into the kingdom, and everything was as it had always been.
In our lives today, there are two emotions that are extremely powerful. One is jealousy and the other, love. Jealousy comes from a selfish attitude, which can ruin friendships. Remember that Saul had loved David in the beginning. However, Saul’s jealousy turned to hatred when he saw how popular David had become. On the other hand, David remained respectful to Saul, in spite of how he had treated him. David could have refused to come back and work for the king, knowing that he had planned to kill him; but instead, he remained in love and chose to forgive.
We must remember that a true friend always chooses love over envy, just as Jonathan did. He was bold enough to oppose the evil plans of his own father in order to offer support and protection to David. May you find true friends like Jonathan in your life—ones that will stick up for you, no matter the cost.
Think About It!
David started out as a young shepherd boy, tending sheep in the fields; but he grew into a beloved “man after [God’s] own heart” (Acts 13:22). You, too, can become someone just as special to God. Remember that, in spite of King Saul’s plans to kill him, David forgave Saul. When someone wrongs you, how do you react? You can fight back and act just as ugly to that person as they were to you, or you can choose to take the “high road” and do what God would want you to do. It is not always easy, but disappointments can make us stronger if we handle them like David did.
ACTIVITY!
Stand Up for Right!
Jonathan stood up for the right thing, even when doing so could have gotten him in trouble with his father, the king. In the following activity, read each scenario and decide how you can best stand up for the right thing. It’s not easy, but standing up for the right thing is always the “right thing” to do.
1.Amarie dresses and talks differently because she is from another country. Most kids in fifth grade ignore her, refuse to sit with her, and never want to be on her team. How can you stand up and do the right thing?
a. Pay no attention to Amarie.
b. Remind your friends that being different is okay.
2.Anna told me that on the day of our test, the substitute teacher might not notice if I cheat. How can you stand up for the right thing?
a. Ask the teacher for extra help, and do my best on the test.
b. Take Anna’s advice.
3.Trey asked me to try marijuana and said that if I refuse, I won’t be in the popular crowd. How can I stand up for the right thing?
a. Tell the teacher because drugs are not good for Trey.
b. Choose to be popular.
Answers: 1. b; 2. a; 3. a
ACTIVITY!
Who’s Who?
For this activity, match each Action/Attribute with the appropriate character; then draw on the line the matching symbol. (An attribute is a quality or trait that describes a person.) The crown represents Saul because he was the king of Israel. The sword-and-shield represents David because he was a warrior. The sun represents Jonathan because he was Saul’s son. (Remember that the word “son” is actually spelled with an “o,” not a “u” when talking about family.)
| ACTION | ATTRIBUTE |
| 1.Was a very jealous person | ________ |
| 2.Did the right thing by protecting his friend | ________ |
| 3.Was the son of the king of Israel | ________ |
| 4.Was a very loyal and fearless warrior | ________ |
| 5.Made plans to kill his son’s friend | ________ |
| 6.Killed Goliath and saved Israel from the Philistines | ________ |
| 7.Warned his friend to save him from death | ________ |
| 8.Respected the king who wanted to kill him | ________ |
| 9.Begged his father to change his mind | ________ |
| 10. To protect himself, hid in the field until morning | ________ |
Answers: 1. Saul; 2. Jonathan; 3. Jonathan; 4. David; 5. Saul; 6. David; 7. Jonathan; 8. David; 9. Jonathan; 10. David
Visit our website, www.rhboyd.com for additional activities!
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