Matthew Mehringer

“David had a very difficult calling: to wield the power of Israel’s kingship with God-dependent humility. Jonathan’s calling may have been more difficult, however: to yield the power of Israel’s kingship with God-dependent humility. Jonathan didn’t just yield to David. He loved David (1 Sam. 18:1), empowered David (v. 4), and protected and advocated for David (chap. 20). And when David’s faith-hand was losing its grip, Jonathan sought him out and “strengthened his hand” by reminding him of God’s promises (23:16–17). He could have done this only if he trusted in the Lord with all his heart (Prov. 3:5). Like Jonathan, God wants us to seek first the kingdom, not our prominence in the kingdom (Matt. 6:33). When we trust God enough to yield our prominence (or expected prominence) to someone else for God’s purposes, it’s a sign and wonder. And when we go beyond yielding to doing everything in our power to help that person succeed—nothing else quite portrays the Philippians 2 glory of Jesus: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:5–8) Jonathan did not consider the throne a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself for God’s sake and became a Christlike servant. Let us also “have this mind” (Phil. 2:5).”
― Jon Bloom, Things Not Seen: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Trusting God's Promises