I Samuel 18:3, “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.” (KJV)
The jagged cliffs spiraled six hundred feet above our wilderness camp along the shoreline of The Middle Fork of Salmon River. I leaned back in my chair, watching two brothers descend a narrow animal trail, and winced as the back of my neck pinched. Lean and lanky, the twins moved rhythmically, their long arms swinging in unison like soldiers marching. How wonderful it would be for everyone to have a close relationship with a sibling or twin. Not everyone experiences this connection by birth, but brother-like friendships can happen, as David and Jonathan did in the Bible.
I met these twins when my husband and I traveled with twenty-nine white-water rafters on a six-day trip into the Frank Church Wilderness of Idaho. Most nights, the brothers pitched their tents close by. The more time I spent conversing with them, the more I observed how they enjoyed each other’s company, easy conversation, and fishing side-by-side. Their widened grins and laughter warmed my heart.
The day that I studied the brothers descending toward camp, I pictured Samuel in the Old Testament approaching Jesse’s family in search of the future King of Israel. Jesse, David’s father, and seven brothers overlooked David, the youngest son. During Samuel’s search, David’s name didn’t come up once until Samuel pressed Jesse. Jesse and his sons didn’t think enough of David to mention his name to Samuel.
Even though David’s seven brothers ignored and dismissed him, King Saul’s son Jonathan loved David as his flesh and soul. Not only did Jonathan share meals at the king’s table with David, but he defied his father to stop Saul from murdering his friend. David and Jonathan promised each other an everlasting friendship, and Jonathan willingly gave up his rightful throne to his friend, enabling the shepherd boy to ascend in his place. Even though they weren’t blood brothers, their bond touched my heart because they unselfishly put the other’s needs before their own—something you don’t often witness today.
Back at camp, when the brothers joined us around a family-style table, a pang of jealousy twisted my stomach. Over the decades, I have experienced close bonds of friendship with women who hiked, studied God’s Word, read widely, discussed movies, and challenged my ideas and ways of thinking. Many have passed away or moved across the country, leaving me alone at coffee shops, restaurants, and Shakespeare in the Park. Still, I’m grateful for God’s blessings and provision, even if I didn’t have a twin. I have faith that, maybe this year, God will send me a friend like David or Jonathan whom I can love like my own soul.
