David: God's own heart Chapter 1 Jonathan "Crownless, yet beloved by both God and David."

 "Crownless, yet beloved by both God and David."

Have you ever known someone with not a drop of jealousy in their veins?

I am about to open this chapter, and although I once disliked this name in real life and avoided it as much as I could, I have learned to love the character behind it as I read the Bible.

Jonathan — born a prince, yet never a king. One of his most defining traits is that he was a go-getter. Jonathan never backed down from battle. He thrived in combat and loved to challenge conventional methods of warfare. A natural-born warrior, bred by his own tribe of Benjamin—known for their fierceness and strength—he was the perfect match for the Philistines, the giants of his time.

Despite his warrior nature, his faith in God was vastly different from that of his father, King Saul. In many ways, he was the exact opposite of his father. Jonathan never felt the need to compete for the crown. Jealousy was foreign to him—absent from both his heart and his vocabulary.

Jonathan played a crucial role in helping David establish his throne. His greatest virtue was his unselfish intent. He embodied true friendship and genuine support. In every act of betrayal, Jonathan stood as a champion of loyalty. He destroyed jealousy and paved the way for the king after God's own heart.

As I read more about him in the Bible, I often try to find flaws in his character, yet the more I read, the more I find myself frustrated, as if Jonathan was perfected even before birth. He was David's best ally, and their friendship was so pure that it stirs a sense of awe—almost a jealousy for its depth. David himself described it as a bond greater than that of marriage or any romantic love.

I find no flaw in Jonathan. An enemy might hate him, but a friend would love him to the very end. He perfectly exemplified God’s love, humbly surrendering the crown that could have been his, and willingly passing it to his beloved friend David. Such love—bold, sacrificial, and godly—seems almost not of this world.