1Sm 18:6-9,19:1-7; Ps 52:2,3,9-13; Mk 3:7-12
Christian meekness flows out of the strength of a heart saturated with trust in God. Saint after saint have no fear of success or failure; their hearts was full of the fear of the LORD. Indeed, their adversaries trampled upon them and fought with them every day. Wanderings and tears were both stored and recorded in the book of the LORD. Only when we call upon the Name of the LORD do our enemies turn back. Our confidence and courage flow from a heart convinced that God is with us. We find our glory in trusting the LORD’s promise. Without fear of any opposition, without fear of stumbling, we speak the truth in love to his brothers and sisters of every time and place. Our bold and brilliant witness turn many hearts back to the ancient faith. Like David in the first reading we know that the friend of sinners, the Lord, has our best interests in mind. Jonathan protected his friend David, and the Lord Jesus protected his friends from day to day. Even when the enemy cries out to discredit us there is no fear, only more trust. This kind of heroic trust is not impossible for us today. Quite simply put, trust is the only thing that worked and continues to work even now.
David trusted his friend Jonathan. He so trusted Jonathan that he was willing to put his life back into danger by going back to serve King Saul. Things were never quite right between David and Saul. Perhaps the king was insecure around David from the beginning of their relationship because the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands.” Of course the women sang this song of praise because David was the greater warrior, and this was the problem in the relationship. King Saul could not get beyond his anger and resentment that David was more popular or more powerful than him. The king made the mistake of sharing his intention to kill David with his son Jonathan who was the greatest supporter and friend of the king’s enemy. Actually, David was no real enemy for Saul and Jonathan defended his friend before the king. His friendship with David gave Jonathan courage to challenge his father by asking, “Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood by killing David without cause?” David put his trust in his friend Jonathan, but this trust was based upon David’s more fundamental trust in the LORD. The intimate relationship between the LORD and David made him a trusting person. He had nothing to fear; the LORD was with him.
David could have avoided some of Saul’s hostility if the women had not sung his praises so freely. The Son of David could have avoided some to the hostility of the leaders if so many sick and possessed had not shouted his praise so loudly. Unclean spirits shouting and crushing crowds were not the kind of response the Lord Jesus came to arouse wherever he went. He wanted his disciples to learn from him how to use the power of preaching and how to use the power of healing to bring the Kingdom of God into this time and place. The Lord Jesus was not afraid of being unpopular because he wanted to avoid being crushed by the crowd. Nor was he afraid to confront sternly the unclean spirits who shouted out his identity. Unlike King Saul, the Lord Jesus trusted in the Father’s approval and affirmation, and he did not pander to the crowd nor cower before the voices of the unclean spirits. Indeed, we have much to learn from the secure and securing King of the Universe about our fragile ego and our absolute need to trust in the LORD. Only when we trust in the Lord Jesus will we be able to avoid the control of those who know us or praise us loudly. Only then will we be free to love and serve the LORD who has so loved and served us by sending his only beloved Son to be our savior and our only true friend.
