True Friendship: The Story of David and Jonathan

Hey everyone, welcome to Carpooling with Jesus. No matter where you are, sitting at the table, driving to practice, or just relaxing at home, I'm so happy you're joining me. We're marching through stories from the Bible, stories that Jesus would have learned when he was a kid. Today we're talking about something super important, friendship. Who is your best friend? Think about them right now. Picture them in your head. I bet it's someone who sticks by your side no matter what. Today's story is about two friends who showed what true friendship really looks like. Our verse today comes from 1 Samuel chapter 18 verse 3. Remember, Samuel was a prophet of God and he told the people exactly what God told him. It says, Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. That's a pretty big statement. Jonathan loved David, his friend, as much as he loved himself. Let's talk about what that means. This verse is from the story of David and Jonathan. Now, David, as you might remember from last time, was a shepherd boy who defeated Goliath. After that, he became really well known, and King Saul, who was in charge at the time, wasn't too happy about it. But there's a twist. Saul's son, Jonathan, became best friends with David. Even though Jonathan was supposed to be the next king, he didn't get jealous of David when he was told that David would be the next king. Instead, Jonathan loved David like a brother. Jonathan even made a promise, that's another word for a covenant, to always be there for David. He gave David his robe, his sword, his bow, and his shield, as a way of saying, I am with you no matter what. But things got really tough. King Saul became jealous of David and wanted to hurt him. Jonathan warned David about Saul's plans and helped him escape. Jonathan's friendship wasn't about what he could get. It was about sacrifice and loving him more than he loved himself. If Jesus were sitting with us right now, I think he'd say something like, a true friend isn't just someone who plays with you or has fun with you. A true friend encourages and stands by your side, even when things are tough, just like Jonathan was a loyal friend to David. I want you to be a loyal friend to others. Jesus wants us to love our friends the way he loves us. That means being kind, forgiving, and sticking by our friends, even when it's not easy. Let me tell you a quick story about Dylan. Dylan and his best friend were on the same soccer team. He had been practicing really hard, but when the coach picked the team captain, he picked Dylan's best friend. Now, at first, Dylan felt a little disappointed, maybe even jealous, but then he remembered the story of David and Jonathan, and instead of being upset, he cheered on his friend. He helped him get better at soccer and supported him as the team captain, just like Jonathan supported David. That's what being a loyal friend looks like. It's not just about being there for the fun times. It's about standing by each other when things are hard. So remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening today, God loves you. Parents, if you're enjoying Carpooling with Jesus, share it with another parent friend who might love it too. Before you hop into the rest of your day, here's something to talk about together. What's one way you can be a loyal friend to someone this week? Thanks for hanging out with me today. I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.