David dealt graciously with Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson.
v 1. One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
Jonathan, Saul’s son and expected heir as King, was the greatest of friends with David; they fought together until both Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle. Many people saw the pair as rival claimants to the throne when David ruled in Judah and Jonathan’s family and friends ruled in Israel. There could well have been enmity between them.
In his desire to unite the whole nation, David wanted to be reconciled with Saul’s family. So he set out to find any living relatives and discovered that Jonathan had left a crippled child named Mephibosheth. With his background in Saul’s family this young man might have felt extremely vulnerable and open to persecution by the new King. His summons to meet David at the court in Jerusalem would have been received with some apprehension. Was hostility, inter-tribal jealousy, even murder in the air?
David’s heart was set on reconciliation. It was no good trying to unite a nation unless the families of David and Saul were seen to be united. Hence David took Mephibosheth under wing and ensured that he rightfully inherited the property that belonged to his family through Saul. And more than that, David gave Mephibosheth a secure future with someone to look after his estates. David certainly went about reconciliation seriously.
Does that speak to you about the need for reconciliation in your family?
—