Be a Jonathan

https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/03/encouraged-in-god

I think most of us are familiar with the phrase “be a Barnabas”, meaning to say be an encourager. It is better to encourage than to criticise, better to encourage than to tear down or destroy. We edify, we lift someone up, we give kind and assuring words when that person didn’t do a good job or failed at his task or was nervous or afraid. Never mind, you tried your best, work at it and do better the next time. I guess with practice everyone will get better over time. So being an encourager means believing that people should be given second and third chances, believing that people will get better over time.

But I think we should draw the line at flattery, of not facing the real situation but giving a false impression of excellence when there was none. That is not an encouragement but a lie and is rather dangerous as it paints a false picture and inflates the ego when in reality he did a poor job. We should tell it as it is, not being critical or over bearing but tell the truth and yet believing that things can and will be improved if more effort is put into it.

This morning however the message takes the encouragement one step further in the sense that it exalts us to encourage people in the Lord. Jonathan went to David to help him find strength in the Lord. Not only believing that people should be given a chance and that things will get better over time with more practice but that God Himself will make things better. That God will be the ultimate encourager; to exalt, support and propel us forward. We need to find our strength in God, our purpose in God. So being an encourager means we encourage others to find their strength in God, like Jonathan did for David, to find their strength and purpose in God. The Lord will always be the best source of strength as He is our creator and heavenly Father. He loves and cares for us, for our well being, for all that we are doing for Him and for His Kingdom.

Thus be a Barnabas to encourage and lift up others but also be a Jonathan to help others find their strength in God. David remembered what Jonathan did many years down the road and showed undue kindness, grace and mercy to the crippled Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson, by giving him a permanent place to dine at his royal table and restored his house, land, possessions and servants despite Saul having lost the throne to David, despite Saul having tried to kill David a few times to try to prevent him from ascending to the throne. David had no hatred but love for Mephibosheth on the account of Jonathan when kings of old would have eliminated the bloodline of their rivals. You can read about Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel Chapter 9.