1 Samuel 18:4 says, “Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.” When Jonathan disrobed, he made himself transparent to David. It was his way of saying that he had nothing to hide, that he wanted David to know the real Jonathan. A friendship built on anything else is just a sham—a make-believe friendship between two people who are pretending to be someone they are not. As C. S. Lewis said, “Eros will have naked bodies; friendships naked personalities.”
“Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.”
— 1 Samuel 23:16 (NLT)
Lord Jesus, keep my heart pure. May I always strengthen and encourage my friend. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.