David Needed a Friend

Guest article by David Hyles...my friend.

If You Can’t Be a King, Be a Friend

There are many ways God chooses to use a person. Some are anointed to rule.

Some are sent to fight giants. Others are chosen to blaze trails of leadership, carve out kingdoms, or carry great callings.

But sometimes, God looks down—not to place a crown on your head—but to place a friend in your heart.

David was the man after God’s own heart. He was chosen by God, hunted by Saul, and anointed long before he ever took the throne. He had warriors and worshippers. He had followers and fame. But in the early, most vulnerable days

of his calling, before he ever ruled Israel...

David needed a friend

That friend was Jonathan.

Jonathan wasn’t just anyone. He was the son of King Saul, the heir to the throne of Israel. From childhood, he likely grew up with the full expectation that he would be the next king. It was his birthright. He had every reason to prepare for the palace. He was trained in warfare, leadership, and command. He had the pedigree, the reputation, the victories. He was already leading armies into battle by the time David was still tending sheep.

He had courage. He had character. He had calling. But then something changed.

God rejected Saul’s dynasty because of Saul’s disobedience (1 Samuel 13:13–14; 15:22–28). And with that rejection came a devastating consequence:

Jonathan would never be king. Not because of something he did wrong—but because of what his father had done.

It’s one thing to lose something you never expected to have. It’s another thing to lose something you were raised to believe would be yours.

Jonathan could have grown bitter. He could have seen David as a rival. He could have tried to hold onto power or stir rebellion or plant envy in the hearts of the people. After all, he was the son of the king! But instead—he laid it all down.

“And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David...” (1 Samuel 18:4)

That wasn’t just a gesture of kindness. It was a symbolic abdication. He was surrendering his right to the throne—because Jonathan wasn’t chasing power, he was chasing God’s will.

God didn’t choose Jonathan to be the king—but He chose him to be a friend to the king. And in doing so, God gave Jonathan a calling that may have been just as great. While others saw David as a threat or a tool, Jonathan saw him as a

brother.

“The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1 Samuel 18:1)

What kind of friend was Jonathan?

1. He Loved David Without Jealousy.

Jonathan’s love for David was pure. He wasn’t threatened by David’s success. He wasn’t wounded by David’s anointing. He didn’t hold on to entitlement.

“Thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee...” (1 Samuel 23:17)

Those were not the words of a bitter man. They were the words of a friend who had truly surrendered to God’s plan.

2. He Defended David at Great Cost.

When Saul turned against David, Jonathan stood in the gap. He risked his own life and his relationship with his father to protect David.

“Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee...” (1 Samuel 19:4)

Even when Saul raged against him, Jonathan stood firm. Because when you’re called to be a friend, you don’t back down when things get hard.

3. He Strengthened David in God.

At one of the lowest points in David’s life, while hiding in the woods, Jonathan sought him out—not to lift his spirits with flattery—but to strengthen his hand in God.

“And Jonathan... went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

” (1 Samuel 23:16)

That’s a rare kind of friendship. A friend who points you back to the promises of God. A friend who reminds you that your future is still in His hands.

4. He Was Loyal Until the End.

Jonathan died in battle by his father’s side (1 Samuel 31), but his loyalty to David never wavered. His last words to David were words of encouragement and affirmation. And when David heard of his death, he mourned deeply:

“I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasanthast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.” (2 Samuel 1:26)

David had many allies. Many soldiers. Many mighty men. But he only had one Jonathan. Jonathan may never have sat on a throne, but he left a legacy that still teaches us today:

• That you don’t have to be in charge to be valuable.

• That you don’t have to be famous to be faithful.

• That friendship is not second-class—it’s sacred.

Some of the greatest crowns in heaven may rest on heads that never wore one on earth. You may not get the position you dreamed of. You may not be the leader. The preacher. The director. The one with the title. But can you be the one who comes alongside?

• Can you be the friend who lifts up tired hands?

• The friend who gives up what’s “rightfully yours” for the good of someone else

• The friend who sees the anointing on someone else’s life and chooses to

  protect it?

The world is full of people trying to be kings. But David needed a friend. And maybe that’s the greater calling. If you can’t be a king—be a friend. You might just be the reason someone else becomes what God has called them to be.