Being a True Friend

This week I've been reading the story of Jonathan and David. Isn't it interesting that Saul was jealous of David while Jonathan wasn't? It should have been Jonathan who would be the next king. But because of Saul's sin, God was going to make David the next king instead. Saul couldn't handle that. His envy turned to hatred which turned to murder. He tried to kill David many times. And yet everything was his own fault. If anyone had a good reason to be jealous of David, it was Jonathan.

But Jonathan loved David. In 1 Corinthians 13:4, it says that love doesn't envy.  In 1 Samuel 20:17 the Bible says of Jonathan, "He loved him as he loved his own soul." I believe that is the secret! Maybe Jonathan had a twinge of envy sometimes, but he chose to love David. And love doesn't envy. One of the ten commandments is about not coveting. I heard coveting explained this way–Coveting is counting someone else's blessings! I like that! When we are content, we are counting our own blessings, but when we are envious, we are thinking about what someone else has that we don't have.

If we love someone, we should be happy for them when good things happen to them. We should be happy not envious.

Have you ever felt envious of a friend or sister because of something they have that you don't have? Most likely there are things/problems they have that you wouldn't want. And there's a good chance you have something they would like! 

So count your own blessings and count other people's burdens! Ask God to help you to be happy for them and to love them as you love yourself. That means being happy for them as you would be happy for yourself.