Forgiveness?

¹ Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ⁷ So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”- 2 Samuel 9:1, 7

     Wow! If only I could practice this type of forgiveness in my life. And then it hits me that this isn't even forgiveness. This man had done nothing wrong to David, he was merely associated with someone who had made David's life miserable for years. A humbling thought for me. How often do I hold a grudge against someone who has done me no wrong? How often do I shy away from someone merely because they are associated with someone I don't get along with? David had every right to avoid anyone in Saul's family who came begging for a handout, but David didn't avoid, he sought. He searched and found someone to bestow kindness upon, all because of Jonathan. This leads me to the idea of real friendship. Jonathan was the driving factor behind David's desire in this situation. How many friendships do I have that would overcome their father hunting me like an animal? How quickly would I associate them with their family and hate them all? David gives a shining example of friendship, love and kindness. Do I care about my friends as much as David? Am I willing to share the Gospel with people who may have reason to hate me? Do I love my enemies and their families enough to share God's blessings with them? Embarrassing questions to answer. Definitely an area to work on in my life.