Bonds of Friendship

 When I look at biblical stories and heroes there’s a few that always spring to my mind. Peter and the Apostles, Nicodemus, Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, and finally Jonathan son of Saul and his friendship with David. They should have been enemies. Yet they chose to be the best of friends.

Jonathan was the son of the King of Israel, Saul. Before the anointing of David he was in line for the throne. He was the crown prince. Given everything most would want.

Yet even with all of that privilege he set it aside. For a friend.

See David wasn't in line for the throne. But he was prophetically chosen and anointed for the role. Saul didn't appreciate it. And it determined the relationship between Saul and David. It began with suicide mission, and ended in war. 

Through it all Jonathan and David had a friendship that they made a covenant over.

Now that's stood out to me lately. When we think of covenants and the actions and agreements they bind, certain things come to mind. One, baptism and a covenant with Christ to take his name upon ourselves. The next is a marriage covenant between our spouses and God. Both are relationship based, both ascribe commitments and obligations. 

Why shouldn't it be the same for other relationships?

I mean this sincerely. Now I want to first establish that my relationships with my Heavenly Father and with Christ are the most important in my life. The next most important is my marriage to my wife. Our commitment to each other, and our shared commitment to God. To the non religious that may sound cheesy or unrealistic, but it's the honest truth. A center of relationships focused on common spiritual, moral, and faith is a solid foundation for any relationship. 

It's my hope that the home I have, the relationship I have, will inform my relationship with my children. show them how to develop their connections with each other. That they can grow, develop, and emulate the relationship I have with their mother later in their life.

Why can't it be the same with friends? I've had friends come and go. I've had some friendships fade for reasons, others that time and distance diluted to the point where they lost their connection. But some have risen to the top, stood the test of time. Some just inform my life more. They matter more.

We don't have to have absolute agreement on everything. But building a friendship, a relationship with solid foundations, commitments, understanding can yield greater benefits than we may be able to imagine. 

I've spoken before about the power of intentionality in relationships versus the connections wrought my circumstance. That intentionality can be demonstrated by commitments. Now these commitments don't replace my relationship with God, or with my wife, but they can inform them, support them.

When we have friends that protect us and make us better. That help us grow. That support us. Then we find ourselves with natural commitments to each other. Bonds. And that makes all the difference. 

I can see that in my life. The benefits and blessings of that, not only for me but for my wife, my kids as well. 

I can't demonstrate how grateful I am for that. Words will never be enough. I have a smaller tighter circle that has supported me, built me up, made me better. I hope I measure up, stand up for them, like they have for me.