Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.”—1 Samuel 23:16-17
What a gift Jonathan is to David! His encouragement in the Lord must have seen David through so much! I was reading Romans 12 last night before bed and camped out on the gift of exhortation. As I read this passage this morning in 1 Samuel 23, I realized that Jonathan had the gift of exhortation and David the gift of leading. Someone with the gift of leadership is usually in front...in the limelight so to speak. In contrast, an exhorter is in the background...a backstage helper so to speak, who by the very nature of his role, doesn’t get much recognition. Nevertheless, both jobs are important. Both gifts are needful. The leader should not think more highly of himself than he ought to think and the encourager less of himself because of the lack of temporal appreciation. God has a purpose for both and has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. —Romans 12:4-5
I loved how Strongs defined exhortation because it brought the ultimate Consoler and Comforter to mind, Christ.
Exhortation - imploration, hortation, solace: — comfort, consolation, exhortation, intreaty. More on exhortation...thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
Jonathan’s heart was for God, for Israel, and for David, and probably in that order. He saw the big picture. He put his own needs and desires aside and encouraged David in the Lord and in so doing furthered God’s plan for the nation of Israel. When we use the gifts God has blessed us with, we do the same and become Christ’s heart, hands or feet to the body of Christ.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them—Romans 12:6a
