1 Samuel 19:4-7 – Bring reconciliation not division

We all know that Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. Between them, there was no secret. When he learned of his father’s intention, he did not keep it from his dear friend. He told him everything as it was. Jonathan also wanted to talk to his father about it. He planned to speak to his father near where David had hidden so that the latter could hear exactly what he would say to Saul, his father.

When Jonathan confronted his father, he spoke favourably about his dear friend David. He appealed to Saul to be reasonable with David. He set before his father the facts why he should show kindness to him, persuading him to rescind from his evil intention. Firstly, to destroy David would be a sin. Even though he was speaking to his father, he did not mince his words. He called a spade a spade. To him, Saul’s intention to destroy David was a downright sin. Besides, he reasoned that David did not do anything offensive to him that could be considered a sin. Secondly, he told his father, that David had risked his life and fought Goliath. What he did benefitted Saul. Thirdly, he told Saul that the king himself had rejoiced in the victory that the Lord had brought to them through David. He unashamedly told the father that if he killed David, he would have taken innocent blood. Jonathan was telling him how unjustified it was for him to even consider such a malicious act. He was repaying evil for good. Think about this for a while. To repay evil for evil is what an animal will do. To repay good for good is what a kind human being will do. To repay evil for good is only what the devil will do, but to repay good for evil, is what God will do. If we are to emulate any of these, it is God whom we must emulate and not the devil. Never repay evil for good.  

Jonathan was persuasive. His appeal was morally sound, logically reasonable, and effectively affective. Here we learn a lesson in the art of persuasion. He appealed to Saul’s moral conscience, his mind and his emotion. This is how effective he was in persuasion. So we read in verse  6 that Saul was persuaded and listened to Jonathan, and vowed, “As the Lord lives, he (David) shall not be put to death.” That day Jonathan brought about a reconciliation between the king and his friend, though it was short-lived. And David was able to come into the presence of the king just like before.

Two takeaways. Firstly, never be vicious to someone who had done us good. There is a saying that we should always remember. Never forget the source of the water which we drink from. Secondly, be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. Jesus said that by being peacemakers we will be called sons of God. Let us shape our ministry to be like that of Jonathan. He reconciled David to his father, just as Christ reconciled us to our heavenly Father.