Listening to the voice of reason...

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before. (1 Samuel 19:1-7 ESV) Saul was losing it. In his anger, envy and fear, he filtered the popularity and success of David as a reason to get him out of the palace and even out of his life. Jonathan, who loved his father, and David, and Israel willingly put himself in the middle, trying to be the voice of reason: Why eliminate the one who had brought Saul soothing, given Israel victory after victory, and made the palace peaceful and joyful? It was in the best interest of all for David to stay there. In a calmer moment, Saul listened to the voice of reason and even made an oath for David's safety. Jonathan did all he could to be the peacemaker, and to gently rebuke his erring father. Are we willing to be the voice of reason? To get in the middle? To do what is best for all concerned? Jonathan could have done many other things: let David go, seethe in anger at his father, or even encourage David to revolt. He chose the wiser but harder course. He cared. He cared about people and he cared about justice. How can we be like him today?