Older adults of faith might regularly turn to the Bible for wisdom and encouragement. Passages from Psalms or writings from the apostle Paul are some common go-tos, but it can also be helpful to explore the lives of various historical figures from the Bible.
As you adventure through retirement or deal with challenges in your life, you might consider reflecting on the life of Jonathan.
Jonathan was the son of King Saul in the Old Testament. It might have been assumed by Saul, Jonathan and others that this son would be next in line to be king after Saul, but readers of 1 and 2 Samuel know that David is chosen as king of Israel by God. Jonathan was also a friend of David's, and the way he accepts that David will be king and not him is the basis of just one of the lessons older adults can take away from the stories about Jonathan.
You can read about Jonathan in 1 Samuel. As you do, here are some takeaways you might consider.
Jonathan was a loyal friend to David, even at times when his own father was not. David entered the court of Saul when he was brought to play music for the king, who suffered from some sort of mental and emotional attacks. Music soothed these issues. You probably also know that David showed up to fight the giant Goliath when no one else on the Israelite side would face the champion of the Philistines.
Eventually, David became a celebrated warrior in Saul's army. The people loved him and sang songs about his feats, and this made Saul jealous. Saul became paranoid about David, and the Bible tells us about several times Saul intended to kill David.
In one instance, Jonathan warned David about the danger and told him he would talk to Saul and find out if the king really intended to do David harm. He devised a plan to let David know whether it was safe, and it's because of Jonathan's actions that David was able to flee from Saul.
Jonathan was a loyal friend to David, even when his own father slandered David's character and plotted against him. The value of being a loyal friend and having those types of covenant friendships is a great takeaway for seniors who may be entering independent living or other new chapters of their lives. Friends who will stand with you and support you can help you navigate these new adventures.
As an older adult who may be facing big changes in life, such as the move into assisted living, you may find it hard to be courageous. However, the life of Jonathan includes stories that teach us how to have bravery with faith.
One story illustrates how Jonathan turned to the Lord for wisdom and had courage in the face of the Lord's guidance. In this story, Jonathan is alone with his armor-bearer scouting the hillsides where the Philistine army was encamped. They come across one of the camps, and Jonathan needs to decide on an action. Should the two men go up and meet the Philistine warriors in battle, or should they run away from this area?
The common-sense worldly choice seems obvious: Run away, get reinforcements and come back. But Jonathan knew he wasn't fighting battles as men fight them; he was choosing to fight on the side of the Lord. So he decided to ask God what to do. He told his armor-bearer that he would call up to the Philistine guards. How they responded would determine whether God wanted them to go up and fight or not, and Jonathan had faith that if God wanted them to go up and fight that the Lord would have control over the outcome.
You can read the story in 1 Samuel 14, but the conclusion is that Jonathan and his armor-bearer do meet the Philistines in battle. With God's help, they're victorious. The takeaway here is that being brave may be difficult, but when you have faith in God, it's easier to face large obstacles with courage.
A final takeaway from the life of Jonathan is that humility before the Lord and selflessness in our care of others can leave a lasting legacy. The story of the life of Saul is tragic, as most of Saul's descendants perished in part due to Saul's disobedience and prideful actions as king. But because of Jonathan's actions and friendship with David, the new king of Israel cared for Jonathan's son Mephibosheth and showed him kindness and love.
David said to Mephibosheth when he called for him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father and you shall eat at my table always.”
