Friendship

We all know that friendships are important. We know that we need them. We know that we cannot survive on our own. But like other things that are important we fail to take the time to cultivate and nurture lasting friendships. Proverbs 27: 10 says, “Do not forsake your friend.”
Busyness. We use the excuse of being busy to keep us from developing last friendships. When I examine my own life and think back to why I let friendships die out it was because I thought I was too busy. I didn’t take the time to nurture my friendships. I didn’t consider them important. I was willing to attempt it alone. Busyness is simply an excuse to keep people at arm’s length. But the truth is we always take time for what is important. If we choose to not take time for friendships it says that people are not important.
I believe that God puts people in our lives for a reason. There are times that we are called upon to be a friend to someone and because of fear or busyness we ignore the opportunity. Decisions determine destination.
David and Jonathan understood the value of friendships. There is every reason why these two should not be friends. Jonathan had too much at stake. It was a huge risk for him to allow his father, who hated David, to know that he loved him like a brother. Jonathan was royalty, a son of the king who would inherit the throne when his father died. David was a shepherd boy, destined to herd sheep all of his life. Because of a strange turn of events David and Jonathan come together.
After David finishes off Goliath, King Saul asks who he was. After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan, the kings son, comes into contact with David. Jonathan and David become friends. They make a covenant of friendship with each other. Their friendship was a constant struggle. Struggle, not because they didn’t love one another, but a struggle because Jonathan’s father, Saul, was constantly trying to kill David. Because of their friendship, Jonathan lived in constant tension.
On the one hand, God had given Jonathan a friend. A brother who he felt at one with, a brother who shared his heart. On the other hand, he had the potential to be king of Israel some day if only he played his cards right. David really had nothing to lose, but Jonathan had everything to lose. Jonathan was in a tough spot.
Jonathan knew that David would one day be king instead of him. He accepted it as reality. Jonathan was committed to the friendship. Would you help a friend get promoted, even if that meant you might not be selected for promotion? How often do we desire to be a friend like Jonathan?
I know what some of you are thinking. I don’t have any friends that are committed to me like Jonathan. If you want a friend with the depth of friendship that existed between Jonathan and David then you must be a friend. Every step away from friendships is one step toward loneliness. Every step toward friendships is one step toward a life surrounded by meaning.
We will be remembered for the relationships we did or did not develop. The decisions you make today will determine if you value your friendships tomorrow.