2 Samuel 9:1–3 And David said... Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him?
Friendship. It is a word that soothes the soul and stirs the heart. It is a word evokes memories that are dear. It is a word that elicits emotions that run deep. It is the one word that offers unconditional acceptance, uncompromising affirmation, and affection.
Friendship was a word David knew. The word was personified in Jonathan, the son of the former king and his arch nemesis, Saul. While other monarchs sought to eliminate the family of the former royalty, it was not so with David. David loved Jonathan. David’s motivation was pure. He wanted to extend kindness to any of the family of Saul. David’s seeking Saul’s family was intended to be an act of mercy, not malice.
David asked of his servants if there any left of Saul’s house to whom he could show kindness. Of the many word meanings of shew, one synonym stands out. It is the word accomplish. David wanted to accomplish kindness in memory of his friend, Jonathan.
The average Bible reader knows this story well. It is the story of Mephibosheth. It is a story replete with divine nuances and types. The story is illustrative of God’s love, grace, and adoption in the course of His redemptive path and plan for mankind.
Yet what captures my heart is not the primary nor secondary meanings in this passage. Rather, it is a simple statement in verse three. “And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him?”
David resolved in his heart that he would show the kindness of God to someone of the house of Saul. Yes, I know, the house of Saul. His mind could have been a file cabinet filled with folders of bitterness, bruises, blisters, and bad memories. Yet his heart was a vessel of compassion looking for another vessel into whom he could pour himself in the memory of his friendship with Jonathan. David saw himself as an agent of kindness working for God. He could have sought out someone who would have easily been on anyone’s enemy list, but he didn’t. Instead, in memory of his friend and in devotion to his God, he sought to show divine kindness to anyone of Saul’s house. David saw himself as God’s agent of kindness.
Is there someone around you who needs to see the kindness of God today? Someone who needs you, on God’s behalf, to go the extra mile, invest no matter the cost, and sacrifice what’s dear, just to display the kindness of God?
The verse is clear. David showed God’s kindness that day. Will you show God’s kindness this day?
