To Encourage You

2 Samuel 9:1-3 “And David said, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? . . . ‘Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?’”

One of the greatest proofs of the enmity of the natural man towards God is how he acts towards others who profess God’s name.  Jesus warned his followers that “You will be hated by all because of My name” (Matthew 10:22). The fact of the matter is that if Jesus were here in person right now, many would reject Him, ridicule Him, ignore Him, or otherwise treat Him just like His enemies did when He walked on earth. It’s only because He’s not here that many now vent their rejection on His followers, not because of who they are, but for the sake of the One they represent.  That’s why so many North Korean Christians are languishing in prison camps right now. That’s why anyone who preaches the truth of Christ regarding sin in the world is attacked by so many in one way or another.  It’s all, primarily, because of Him. 

Conversely, a believer is motivated to treat other people in their lives in the opposite way, i.e., to bless them, for the sake of Christ.  We see a wonderful shadow of this in the account above from 2 Samuel 9. As David became king he didn’t do as so many other kings did in that day in their quest for power.  In their conquest of another kingdom, most kings would exterminate every single person in the previous king’s family.  However, David, when he became king, did something completely different from this.  One of David’s greatest friends had been Jonathan, King Saul’s son. As such, Jonathan was of a different nature than Saul, who hated David. After both Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle, David mourned greatly. Later, when David rose to power, he sought out those who might have still been alive from Jonathan’s family. He had a desire, for Jonathan’s sake, “to show the kindness of God to (them).”  He found out that Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was still alive.  Mephibosheth was crippled on both feet, having been dropped by his nurse at the age of five, as she fled with Mephibosheth to escape the army that would kill both his father and grandfather (2 Samuel 4:4).  He was now an outcast with a grim future ahead of him.  But because of David’s love for Jonathan, He blessed Mephibosheth greatly, to Mephibosheth’s shock. He restored all of Saul’s land to him, and he had Mephibosheth eat with him at his table for the rest of his life. 

It is interesting that the name Jonathan means “who Jehovah gave.” It makes me immediately think of the greatest gift that Jehovah ever gave to the world, i.e., the awesome gift of His only begotten Son (John 3:16). This Son is a wonderful friend of every believer who has ever lived.  And it is for the sake of this most wonderful friend that believers have a desire to bless others.  It is for Jesus’ sake that believers are called to bless the ones who curse them and pray for those who mistreat them (Luke 6:28). It is because Jesus first loved us that we are to love others (1 John 4:19). It is because He has forgiven us that we are to forgive others (Ephesians 4:32). And it is because of Christ that we are to bless those whom He calls “the least of these brothers of mine” (Matthew 25:40).  It’s all for Jesus’ sake.  It’s all to be done on account of Him! 

So, how is the name of Jesus influencing how you act towards others?  Is it a good influence, or an evil one?  Whether or not you love the One “whom Jehovah gave,” will make all the difference in your and my answer to this question.  May God help us, like David, to be looking for those to whom we can, for Jesus’ sake, wonderfully, “show the kindness of God.”