Be Kind: David Changes Someone’s Life

Hello Friends,

This past week I have been thinking about kindness a lot. It seems that kindness is not something we practice a lot these days. People say things that causes hurt to others. People send messages or leave comments that cause pain. And some people would rather choose division and mistreatment than unity and understanding. This world could use a lot more kindness. Have you been kind or nice to someone this week?

The Bible is filled with stories about kindness. But there is one story that comes to mind that gets to the heart of what it means to be kind. This story involves the individual who took five smooth stones and a slingshot to defeat the Philistine giant, Goliath. That’s right: this story involves King David. King David wasn’t perfect, but he did something that helps us realize that we don’t have to be perfect to be kind or nice or demonstrate honor. All we have to do, is do what Jesus would do: notice those in need. Let me tell you about King David’s kindness to his best friend’s son.

Several years had passed since David became the king. David still missed his good friend Jonathan. Jonathan had died in battle with his father, Saul. David had never forgotten his covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:15, 42). Though David suffered greatly because of Saul’s jealous wrath, David did not retaliate against Saul’s family. He did not tolerate the abusive treatment of any of the members of Saul’s family. Still, he wished there was something more he could do.

It may seem odd to us that David would try to find out if Jonathan’s descendants were still living. It was a common practice in Bible-time cultures for a new king who was not descended from the previous king to wipe out all the relatives of the previous king. This was done to prevent any of them from trying to reclaim the throne. David did not want Saul’s descendants killed, but he didn’t know what happened to them. As the assassination of Saul’s other son – Ish-Bosheth (1 Samuel 4) – had shown, some military men may have taken it upon themselves to kill the members of Saul’s family. However, there was one member of Saul’s family that survived; and his name was Mephibosheth.

Mephibosheth was the son of David’s old friend, Jonathan. Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan, and Mephibosheth’s grandfather, King Saul, were both dead. They had died when Mephibosheth was just a little boy. When Mephibosheth was a little boy, he had a nurse take care of him. On the terrible day King Saul and Jonathan died, something bad happened to Mephibosheth. A messenger came and told everyone that Mephibosheth’s father and grandfather were dead. The little boy’s nurse picked him up and started to carry him. Somehow, the nurse dropped little Mephibosheth. When he fell, Mephibosheth’s legs were badly hurt. They were so badly hurt that, for the rest of his life, he could never walk.

David was told that Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, was alive and living near Jerusalem. David remembered the last time he had seen Jonathan. Jonathan had saved David’s life. David remembered a promise he had made to Jonathan. If anything happened to Jonathan, David had promised that he would take care of Jonathan’s family. David immediately ordered his servants to bring Mephibosheth to the palace. When Mephibosheth arrived, he was probably very nervous because he was uncertain of the king’s intentions. The descendants of the deposed king would not want to be brought before the new king. But that is not what David did. King David welcomed Mephibosheth. He told him about how Jonathan had been his good friend. The king probably told him how Jonathan used to give him many gifts. King David also told Mephibosheth about the special promise that he had made to Jonathan.

Mephibosheth was surprised. David was overjoyed to be able to help his friend Jonathan’s son. The king wanted to do something special for his friend’s son. David gave Mephibosheth all the lands that had belonged to Saul. This ensured that Mephibosheth and his descendants would always be provided for. Mephibosheth could hardly believe what he was hearing! “Oh no, King David, I am not worthy of this honor,” exclaimed Mephibosheth.

“No, Mephibosheth, I promised your father that I would always take care of you. Other people have taken the land that belonged to Saul and Jonathan and your family. I will now give all of it back to you. Also, I would like to make a special place at my table for you. Anytime you want to come and eat with me or visit me at the palace you can come. You will never have to worry about anything because I will always take care of you,” said David.

David bestowed a tremendous honor on Mephibosheth – he was to take his meals at the king’s table. David had already ensured that Mephibosheth and his family would not go hungry, so this gesture was not intended to keep Mephibosheth from starving. It symbolized to the nation that David had accepted the grandson of Saul as if Mephibosheth were a member of his own family!

David was far from perfect, but he was exactly the kind of man God wanted (1Samuel 13:14). God is intimately concerned with the weak and disadvantaged in our world. David demonstrated that same concern in his treatment of Mephibosheth. God calls us to share this same spirit of concern for those in need.

May you be kind to those who God places in your life and in your heart.

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!

Text borrowed from: https://missionbibleclass.org/old-testament/part2/united-kingdom/david-helps-mephibosheth