Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. (1 Samuel 18:3, NASB
Close friendships immerse us in what Saint Benedict called "a school of service for the Lord." In friendships we have an ideal environment in which to grow the godlike qualities of love and loyalty, perseverance, and courage. The famous friendship of Jonathan and David in the Scriptures offers a particularly poignant example of the way friends can sharpen one another. Jonathan and David ought to have been rivals. Both of these men were seen as potential heirs to the throne of Jonathan's father, King Saul.
Yet, these two men had a deep friendship based on a promise they had made to one another (see today's Dig Deeper). Jonathan made his friendship covenant with David even though it would cost him the favor of his father King Saul and the throne itself. David in turn committed to Jonathan by promising to show unending kindness to Jonathan and his family. David had a true friend in Jonathan—and Jonathan in David—because they willingly made sacrificial commitments to each other.
We know who our true friends are by recalling those who didn't abandon us when we went through difficult circumstances. A real friend, like Christ, stands shoulder to shoulder with us in times of trouble and hardship to make our burden lighter by carrying it with us.
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