Being The Advocate

Being the Advocate

After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. . . . And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.

A friend’s parents were in the early stages of bitter divorce proceedings, and my friend’s stepmom had messaged her some ugly accusations about her father. When my friend relayed the situation to me via text, I could tell she felt shaken, and I immediately picked up the phone.

“That is not okay,” I told her when the call connected. “I don’t care that you’re an adult; in this situation, you’re still their child, and the way she’s chosen to involve you is completely inappropriate. She needs to know that it’s not okay.” Pausing, I listened as a silence thick with tears and a few deep swallows descended on the line.

I’m generally not one to rush to anger, but in this case I felt a fierce desire to protect my friend. She didn’t want to get mired in the middle of her parents’ divorce but felt helpless to extricate herself from the sticky situation she found herself in. Sometimes, we must be advocates for our friends when they can’t advocate for themselves.

This idea is demonstrated by the story of the friendship between David and Jonathan. As King Saul’s son, Jonathan could have considered David—the man who would eventually succeed Saul—a rival. Instead, a deep friendship arose between the two men, so much so that when Saul wanted to kill David, Jonathan advocated for his friend’s life by reminding Saul of the many things David had accomplished.

Jonathan’s actions and the advocacy he demonstrated are a reminder that if we care for our friends as fiercely as we care for ourselves, we will be intensely for them. We will want the best for them, just as we want the best for ourselves. We will be willing to speak the truth in love, reflecting God’s grace and mercy and love through our own demonstration of those qualities.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

If a friend is facing a confusing or challenging situation, remind them that you are on their side. Offer to advocate for them if they can’t advocate for themselves.