This is the fourth in a multi-part series about friendship. You can read the first post here, the second post here, and the third here.
The opportunities to reflect on the friendship in my own life continue. I got to have a precious phone conversation with a long-lost comrade right before she went to look at buying a boat- to live on! And this weekend I reconnected with one of the truest friends my heart has ever known. The best is yet to come- with friends and with this series. Because we are getting to the good part now.
Remember the story of the covenant of friendship between David and Jonathan? And of Mephibosheth – Jonathan’s son who was dropped by a nurse at the age of 5 and was crippled for the rest of his life?
If you’re still reading along at home, you may have already gotten to the beginning of Chapter 9 in the book of 2 Samuel in the Bible.
At this point in the story, many years have passed. (FYI, each chapter in 1 and 2 Samuel isn’t in a period of time. Some chapters cover great periods of time. Helpful. )
What’s important now is that the kingdom has now been established and fulfilled in David, and David is the king of Israel.
Now get this: one day, David remembers the covenant he made with Jonathan. You may recall that Jonathan literally risked his own life; risked the wrath of his own father who was out to kill David, by protecting David. Because he and David had a covenant, wherein David promised that he would provide for and protect the house of Saul forever. But now- it’s as if one day David wakes up and wonders of the now-decimated house of Saul….is there anyone left from it that he could shower covenant kindness upon?
(Verse 1 of 2 Samuel Chapter 9: “And David said; is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”)
There’s a servant in David’s household, Ziba, who had previously been a servant in the household of Saul. It made sense to ask him if he had any knowledge of anyone remaining from Saul’s household.
Ziba said to the king, “Yes, there is still a son of Jonathan, he is crippled in his feet.” The king inquires where he is, and the account goes on. That son is Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth had lost his health, his family, his position, his money….it’s hard to imagine something that hasn’t been taken away from Mephibosheth. In that world, in that culture, at that time he had nothing. There was no insurance, no Obama care or HMO’s or assisted living facilities. He was living as a reject, utterly poor, without any power to change his state.
There is also a good possibility that Mephibosheth had no knowledge of the covenant that was made between Jonathan and David, as he was just a tiny boy when that was made.
And so the king sends for Mephibosheth.
The story reads: “And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’ And he answered, ‘Behold I am your servant.’ And David said to him; ‘Do not fear.'”
Why would David say that?
When Mephibosheth was called into David’s presence, he most likely was terrified, because the custom of the time was that new households would finish off any descendants in the previous household when they took the throne, so there could be no challenge to the throne.
As the grandson of dead King Saul, Mephibosheth was an heir to the throne that David now possessed. So his first thought may have been that the king would kill him because he might see him as a threat. For all Mephibosheth knew, he was being ushered to his death.
Secondly, and perhaps some of us can relate to this, it’s probable that Mephibosheth had experienced little in his life that would make him believe that something good could happen to him. Not a lot of winning lottery tickets in his life; more like the knocks on the door bring bad news. Growing up in that context; dependent, vulnerable, defenseless; I’m guessing he expected injury. It’s the safest bet.
Are you tracking with this? Can you identify with being a victims of circumstance? Maybe some of you have experience being innocently wronged by others’ mistakes?
Like Mephibosheth who trusted his nurse, we can relate to being dropped by those in whom we’ve placed our trust. We’re living altered lives because a person whom we loved and gave our hearts to has “dropped” us in some way. And our lives may still be suffering from the crippling effects of these disappointments.
Everyone has been “dropped” somehow. And if you haven’t, you will be. It’s no wonder that some of us are afraid to trust again.
Many of us are afraid to take risks or to step out in faith because the idea of making one more mistake freaks us out. Sometimes it feels as if we are hanging on by a fine thread. If God is a merciful God, we wonder when we will start seeing the mercy.
It’s so close. The mercy is. Wait and see.
* “All For Love” refers to one of the songs that instantly transports me back to high school. Nancy Wilson from Heart sings it as part of the soundtrack of the movie “Say Anything.” Join me in appreciating lace gloves and trenchcoats with shoulderpads here.