An amazing story of friendship and loyalty is Jonathan and David’s story, best of friends in the face of palace intrigue and kingly succession. It never ceases to amaze me how real a portrait Scripture paints of the people within its’ pages.
Reading this morning I was struck how street savvy both Jonathan and David were. They faced a real dilemma, protecting their friendship and their lives, surviving the wrath of a jealous and driven king.
Clandestine meetings, cloaked messages, the intuition about the situation, and the ability to set up a situation to reveal the king’s true intentions. Doing all this while keeping a low profile and providing Jonathan plausible deniability so the king’s wrath doesn’t turn on him.
Their story reminded me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:16: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. I, like most/many Christians, do the innocent part pretty well. But when it comes to being shrewd I (and we) am not so good. David and Jonathan did both sides of the equation well. They maintained their innocence/integrity before God yet they were quite shrewd in dealing with the world of palace intrigue. I marvel at their ingenuity.
I am wondering, Lord, about the application of this insight? Are there things for me to learn in the way of business dealings? Do I need to grow in certain interactions with people? Is there a street savvyness I need to learn? Is this a word for future mission trips I will be called to go on? I am not sure at this moment exactly what the Lord is teaching me but I have learned that God doesn’t waste teaching opportunities. Only time will tell.
Lord, You have planted a seed, a thought and my sense is that I have to give it time to germinate. In the mean tim,e I trust You and will follow You. Lord, teach me the correct balance between innocence and shrewdness and help me to read situations so I know the proper balance in every situation. Jesus, to live for You and to be used by You… that is my prayer. Amen
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