Everyone Needs A Jonathan

Last week I came to the end of nearly 5 years working as a civil engineer / fibre engineer and returned to full-time pastoral ministry. During this time I have pastored the church on a part-time basis in what is referred to as 'bi-vocational ministry'.

Bi-vocational ministry was never in the plan and came about ‘accidentally’ 5 years ago when we went through a tough patch as a church. The church ran out of money, yet amazingly, God provided a job for me with a new company putting fibre into rural locations in Scotland.

The work has not been easy work, being both physically demanding and inglorious. However, sometimes difficult jobs and difficult seasons are made easier by having good folks around you.

One guy stands out. He’s a Filipino called Christian, who, funnily enough, is also a Christian. The first day I met him was when I’d just been in the job a week or so. The foreman had picked me up in the truck and taken me from one job and dropped me off at another site to work with 3 or 4 guys I’d never met before.

After briefly introducing me and checking on the work the foreman drove away somewhere else. When lunch came it dawned on me that my pieces were still in the truck. At least I had my bottle of water, but there is a bit of a sinking feeling when you realise that after all that digging you’ve got nothing to eat. The stomach seems to give a louder groan at the point of realising you have no lunch.

We sat down, glad for a breather, and Christian clocked that I hadn’t food.

“Don’t you have lunch?”

“Yes, but, it’s in Andy’s van.”

Without a second thought Christian started offering me one of his sandwiches, “Have one of mine”.

“No, it’s okay, really, it’s fine”.

But he wouldn't take no for an answer, “Here,” pushing the sandwich towards me, “my wife always makes me too much”.

And so I got fed. And it was so welcome.

As the months went by I got to work regularly with Christian. The guy is generous to a fault. Diligent and conscientious in his work. Never seeking to go home early or do half a job. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with anyone as hardworking. His motivation though was made clear to me one day when both of us were a bit disheartened by workplace politics, he continuing to fix some duct, his face in the dirt, “You know Derek, I’m just doing this for the Lord”.

I’ll miss working with Christian, although we’ll stay in touch. The thing that stands out is how good it is to have a friend at work. Someone who looks out for you and has your back. Someone who in a competitive environment isn’t trying to get one over you or someone who is broadcasting the mistakes you’ve made.

It reminds me of a guy in the Bible called Jonathan, who we meet in the story of David. Jonathan was the son of King Saul, the first King of Israel. So he was like the Prince of Wales equivalent. Although his father had taken a dislike to David and wanted him dead, Jonathan was a good friend to him. The Bible tells us that they were “one in Spirit”. You see he recognised that David, like himself, was a man of courage. He recognised that David, like himself, was a man of God. And he recognised that David, unlike himself, would be the next King of Israel. He believed that to be God’s will and humbly accepted it.  Such was their friendship they made a solemn promise before God to look out for one another.

And Jonathan kept that promise. He warned David when his father was wanting to kill him and tried to reason with his father to change his mind, risking his own life in doing so. He was genuinely grieved by how his father was treating David.

And even when David was at a real low point, living as a fugitive in the wilderness to hide from Saul, Jonathan met up with him and encouraged him. He helped him find strength in God.

Jonathan is a great picture of a good friend. Proverbs tells us, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). We all need that friend who sticks closer than a brother. And we need to value them when we do.

Of course there is a deeper wisdom in that Proverb. It points us to the greatest friend of all, Jesus Christ. After all, he’s definitely showed us he has our backs - this is the one who laid down his life for us on the cross. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  He calls us to turn to him and believe. And when we do so, we discover Jesus is the most faithful friend who will never let us down. He’s not ashamed to call us brothers. And he’s always there for us. 

But Jesus has also left us a pattern to follow. And while it’s great to have Jonathan figures in our lives, we are to be Jonathans ourselves. Jesus gives the command, “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31). That was the spirit of Jonathan, and that’s what we are to put into practice. Look out for the guys at work. Look out for guys on the team. Look out for your neighbour.