Have you ever been disappointed in someone you loved? Have you ever noticed a sin in someone’s life that was eating him up? After the events of today’s passage, that was certainly true for Jonathan. Sure, he knew about his father’s tendency to lose his temper. But he kept on insisting that his father didn’t really want to kill David (20:2). And he believed that even if his father had made such a murderous plan that Jonathan could talk him out of it (20:32).

But then, on the second day of the feast, everything came to light. Jonathan made his loyalty to David clear, and Saul came clean about his hatred for David. Jonathan could no longer try to do what both David and Saul wanted – he had to take a side.

Yes, the sad truth is that there does come a time when you can’t just go along with someone else’s sin, no matter how much you love him or her. Sometimes, we have to bring that sin to light, as Jonathan attempted to do. For in an effort to avoid conflict, if we just ignore the problem it won’t go away. It will grow to the point where it eventually explodes.

And for a Christian, our highest loyalty simply can’t be in question. For after all, Jonathan didn’t just support David’s claim to the throne because of his friendship, but also because he knew it was God’s will for David to be king. In other words, Jonathan didn’t just choose David – he chose God’s will, even though that meant disappointing his father and losing out on a kingdom for himself.

So, sometimes, if we really love other people, we need to help them come to grips with the sin in their lives. That’s really the only way to love them and love God at the same time.

I Samuel 20:24-34 (ESV)

24 So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.
25 The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
26 Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.”
27 But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.
29 He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”
32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
34 And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.