“Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me,
and between your descendants and my descendants forever.”
I Samuel 20:42
Does this Sound Familiar? Have you ever spoken a statement that came out wrong? My bride must think I love the way my foot tastes because this is a daily occurrence for me. What about with a friend? Was something taken out of context? Did you inadvertently shoot your buddy? Here's What I Mean... The story in I Samuel tells of Saul’s hatred toward David and of the inseparable friendship of David and Jonathan. Saul wants to kill David so Jonathan devises a plan to warn David. This “well conceived” plan consists of shooting arrows at him. When the appointed day comes, he shoots the arrow then SHOUTS “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!”(v. 38). Then in verse 41, Jonathan and David embraced each other and wept. Here's the Point What was the purpose of shooting arrows to pass a message rather than talking face to face? What can we take away from this exchange? Jonathan wanted to ensure that David received and understood his message. Men typically struggle to communicate with other men outside of the nod of respect and grunt of approval. Sometimes statements spoken can be misinterpreted and instead of clarifying it we immediately go into defense mode. An Alternative Approach Instead, ask what they meant by that. Take the time to explain. Explain several times and from several approaches if needed. Be open to dialogue and be slow to draw conclusions. Perhaps that friend spotted a flaw and wanted to make you aware. Protect your friendships. If all else fails, hug it out and cry together. Just don’t shoot each other afterwards.
Ron Cash MD5 Facilitator