Who do you choose?

Have you ever had that best friend that would do anything for you? The one who you always know has your back. This morning I was reading about David and Jonathan (I Samuel around chapter 18 and on) and was thinking about their incredible friendship. Jonathan was next in line to be king. He was the prince in waiting, but David is who God had chosen to be the next king. Could probably create a little tension in most friendships, but not with Jonathan. Matter of fact, he protected David multiple times from the king's plans to kill David. He sacrificed the chance to be the king because of his love for David and God. See Jonathan got it. It wasn't about him. It was about the bigger picture and what God had planned.

How many times do we choose ourselves over someone else? We don't want to be inconvenienced. I'm not even talking about given up something like our right to be king, but we don't even want to give up our time or money. I wonder if we don't experience in-depth friendships because we are unwilling to sacrifice for them? I wonder if we go into it thinking it is a 50/50 deal. I will give to the friendship as long as they give back equally. That way no one is taking advantage of me or I am not sacrificing more. See that is focused on ourselves - what am I going to get out of it? Jonathan didn't seemed to be concerned about himself, but more about David's safety. Wonder what our friendships would look like if we started caring more about others and less about ourselves?

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have some friends that I know will be there no matter what. They have proven it over time. When I am a tool they continue to love me; when I need help they are there to support me; when I am making bad decisions they challenge me; when it has been the toughest they have stood beside me. They have loved me even when it cost them. It has cost them time, sleep, tough conversations, money, all because they get the bigger picture. I hope that I can do the same for them. Not because it is a 50/50 deal, but because I love them enough and can be selfless enough to put them ahead of myself. Who is your Jonathan? Where do you need to quit focusing on yourself and start serving someone else? How can you be selfless today?