What does it mean to really love a friend? As we saw in Thursday’s passage, true love means more than just warm feelings toward others, or even wishing that good things would happen to them. True love is willing to do whatever it takes to bless the beloved, regardless of the cost to the self.

That was certainly the case for Jonathan. Like his sister Michal, he knew that his father had a tendency to lose his temper, even to make bad decisions. He was well aware of the possibility that King Saul might really want to kill David – that’s why in verse 12 he was determined to find out what his father was really thinking. But at the same time Jonathan knew that David hadn’t done anything to deserve death. And so he refused to let his kinship with Saul override his love for his friend. That’s why he swore to tip David off to Saul’s intentions, even if that meant his friend would escape from his father.

But this love came at a great price for Jonathan. Because his father was the king, Jonathan could have expected to reign over Israel when Saul eventually died. Thus, it would have been in Jonathan’s best interest for his father to put David out of the way. Instead, in verses 14-16, Jonathan affirms his faith in God’s call on David’s life, confessing that David would be the next king of Israel. In short, Jonathan was willing to give up his crown in obedience to God and because of his love for his friend.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jonathan gave up a kingdom for David. Jesus gave up His life for us. What will we give up for our friends today?

I Samuel 20:1-17 (NASB)

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?”
2 And he said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”
3 Yet David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”
4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
5 So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.
6 “If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’
7 “If he says, ‘It is good,’ your servant shall be safe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.
8 “Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?”
9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”
10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.
12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you?
13 “If it please my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.
14 “And if I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the LORD, that I may not die?
15 “And you shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD require it at the hands of David’s enemies.”
17 And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.