Seth Kunkpe: Instead of being a Jonadad, why not be a Jonathan?

Instead of being a Jonadad, why not be a Jonathan

Whatever you become some day in life is largely a function of your environment and the people you hang around with. Life is generally not meant to be lived in isolation. You need people from the cradle to the grave.

With this fact in mind, you want to be conscious about the people you relate with, all the days of your life. The truth of life is that, the people you hang around with determine what hangs around your neck eventually.

Once upon a time in the life of David, who later became the king in Israel, he had a friend in Jonathan. Jonathan was a son to  King Saul, who wished evil for David. Although Jonathan had every right to stick to the demand of his father, he chose to follow truth and went out of his way to protect the interest of David his friend.

Unfortunately, when he grew up and became an adult, he had a son called Amnon. Amnon also had a friend called Jonadad.

Jonathan was helpful to David, and it preserved his life. However, Jonadad’s advice to Amnon never helped him.  It rather led to his death.

Instead of being a Jonadad, why not be a Jonathan

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It came to pass that Amnon had serious infatuations for his half-sister Tamar. Tormented by the emotional outburst, he confided in Jonadad, his friend who also happens to be his cousin. The advice of Jonadad was shroud. One will think that he will give an advice that will chase away the lust in his cousin. Rather, he gave him advice that led him to rape his sister. Later on, his own brother Absalom killed him for that action. Who is your friend? Who is advising you?

So, from the brief story above, you can now understand where I am coming from with this title.

Let’s now shift the focus from what people do to you to what you do to people when it comes to advice.

As you grow in life, your counsel will be needed in lots of issues. Even as teenagers, you will have the opportunity to give advice. In all you’re doing, try to be a Jonathan and not a Jonadad.

As you grow, try to seek the well-being of people like Jonathan did to David.

Protect people under your care. Don’t expose people to any form of harm. That’s what Jonathan did to David. If not for Jonathan, who knows what could have happened to David.

Instead of being a Jonadad, why not be a Jonathan

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That’s what we should all strive to be one another’s keeper.

Someone will think of Jonadad as being a clever person. But you have to understand that cleverness is not necessarily godly wisdom.

Some people are clever in stealing and cheating. Jonadad was clever in giving ideas that made his cousin commit evil. I am sure you don’t want to be remembered that way.

Another angel to this is to be careful about the people you call friends. Any friend who causes you to do evil is a Jonadad. They may look harmless, but you have to be discerning enough to know the difference between cleverness and divine guidance.

Jonadads may not come with a horn on their foreheads. They may not be openly or out rightly cynical. You rather have to be smart and discerning enough to know who you are dealing with

Guard your environment in such a way that nobody invades your space without your permission.

Hope this helps!

For the love of God, society and young people

Blessings

Rev. Seth Agbeli Kunkpe

Lasting Impact Ministries

Pen from Afar…. Writing to Make Things  Right