This section is a beautiful portrayal of a very selfless, self-sacrificing friendship. It is easy for our sinful selfish flesh to get in the way of such perfect, beautiful relationships, but in Christ, we can have such friendships. Friendships where we can love our friend as ourself. "Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself." It is interesting that when you give yourself completely to another person, it ends up benefiting you even though you don't go into the friendship with the intent of benefiting yourself.

The People's Bible had a couple paragraphs that summed up friendship really nicely.

"Jonathan and David knew the value of a friend. How important that we carefully maintain our God-given friendships. A friend is one of life's most precious treasures. Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote: 'No man is useless while he has a friend.' A friend, after all, may know everything about you and still like you and be willing to stand with you. And even when you have made a fool of yourself, a friend will not be willing to believe you have done a permanent job of it. 'A friend loves at all times,' wrote Solomon, 'and a brother is born for adversity' (Proverbs 17:17).

Solomon also wrote: 'There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.' (Proverbs 18:24). That friend is Jesus! In his great love for us he endured the friendlessness of the cross that we might enjoy God's friendship forever. 'What a friend we have in Jesus,' wrote Joseph Scriven. With a friend like that, how can we refuse to show kindness and love to one another? Yes, God's people are friendly."

I thank the Lord for bringing such wonderful friends into my life! Friends with whom I can share in the joys and trials in our lives. And most importantly friends with whom I can grow closer together through the studying of God's Word.