(1 Chronicles 27:25-34) Now Azmaveth the son of Adiel was responsible for the king’s storehouses. And Jonathan the son of Uzziah was responsible for the storehouses in the country, the cities, the villages, and the towers. 26 Ezri the son of Chelub was responsible for the agricultural workers who tilled the soil. 27 Shimei the Ramathite was responsible for the vineyards; and Zabdi the Shiphmite was responsible for the produce of the vineyards stored in the wine cellars. 28 Baal-hanan the Gederite was responsible for the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah; and Joash was responsible for the stores of oil. 29 Shitrai the Sharonite was responsible for the cattle which were grazing in Sharon; and Shaphat the son of Adlai was responsible for the cattle in the valleys. 30 Obil the Ishmaelite was responsible for the camels; and Jehdeiah the Meronothite was responsible for the donkeys. 31 Jaziz the Hagrite was responsible for the flocks. All these were overseers of the property which belonged to King David.
32 Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni tutored the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel was counselor to the king; and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend. 34 Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel; and Joab was the commander of the king’s army.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
David surrounded himself with responsible people he could trust, putting them in charge of important areas such as military, law, finances, food, natural resources, and education for his kids... and among all these people listed, a personal friend is included. After Jonathan's death, I'm sure David would have felt the need to find a new close friend - of the same sex - because it is important to good friends.
Obviously, in order of importance: God should come first, and He should be our personal Lord, Savior and King as well as our very, very best friend, then our spouse (if there is one), then our children (if there are any), and then...
We all need wise, responsible and trustworthy Christian friends. They not only help keep us accountable and on the right track, giving good advice to avoid trouble or giving good advice on how to deal with issues, but they also provide a safe place for us to freely be ourselves without judgment.
These good friends (of the same sex) are hard to find, so it starts with us. To be a "good" friend means we should be seeking God and His goodness, in His strength and guidance. It also means that we are really listening and getting to know someone with a deep understanding of who they are and what makes them tick. Giving grace and accepting grace and unconditional love is key. Everything we do and say should be done with God's unconditional love. Therefore, good friends can (appropriately) confide in each other, and know that this will be followed by prayer and words of wisdom and encouragement, and more prayer!
It is important that we don't share marriage problems with our friends or family, unless one is in an abusive marriage and you need to get out. But regarding regular disagreements and annoyances that come up, that should stay between you and your spouse. Since we should be best friends with our spouse, as soon as we realize there is a problem in the marital relationship - we need talk to our spouse and work it out, in God's love, grace, patience and understanding! And if needed, find an excellent Christian marriage councilor, or go to a reputable marriage seminar (through something like Family Life).
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