The Value of Relationships
“Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father… Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death.” (1Sam 19:4, 15)
You are warmly welcome!
Imagine it’s a Monday morning and you are smartly dressed ready for the oral interview, after passing the complicated aptitude test, you are three candidates remaining in the race for that one job; it’s now your turn to walk into the interview room and to your shock, the chief interviewer is your former classmate – the Class Monitor you slapped in the face way back in Form 2! Your head gets filled with loud voices reminding you of how you left that school without apologizing to her; she recognizes you very well, it seems! Many of us we can well identify with this situation: it could either be the canteen lady, school matron, that gate-man or someone else you mistreated and never imagined to meet them again.
The text in 1Sam 19 depicts the value of maintaining good relationship. At a time when Saul the king of Israel came to view David as a threat rather than an ally and would do anything thing to get rid of him, Jonathan the son for Saul spoke very well of David. Because Jonathan was at good terms with David, he was not willing to conspire with the father to hunt down David. Unlike Jonathan, King Saul has forgotten all the good things David had done for the kingdom – chief of which was bringing down the giant Goliath of the Philistines, the long-time enemy of Israel. More so, David’s music often soothed and healed Saul. He instead allowed jealousy and envy to overwhelm him; he would have been happier with the one David dead than with thousands of dead Philistines.
There are many people we meet in our daily lives and along the path of life but we are not keen enough to maintain a good relationship with them and we walk away assuring ourselves that we will never be in need of their help – especially those seemingly in humble positions. Shockingly, we may meet such when we badly need their help. There are two things to take home today from the text above. First, we learn to try as much as possible to maintain a good relationship with all people. At a time when Saul is hunting down David, Jonathan is pleading with father to let go of the innocent David because Jonathan and David are in good terms. Secondly we learn not to so easily forget those who have done us well in the past like Saul forgot David.
Is there any person, as far as you can remember, with whom you are not at good terms? It could be your nagging neighbor, your house-help back at home, or shop attendant at the road; this is the time to put things right. It pleases God to be at peace with people, and thereby learn to be at peace with God.
God bless you all.