Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.” 1 Samuel 19:6
David was in serious trouble. King Saul, jealous of David's success, was determined to kill him. Everyone knew that it was useless to argue with the king; he always got what he wanted. Also, to counter Saul put one's own life in jeopardy. But there was one who was willing to risk his life: Jonathan, the king's son, advocated for his best friend, David.
“Father, don't try to harm David. He has benefited you greatly. He risked his own life when he fought Goliath. You were happy with the rest of us and realized that God had won a great victory for us. Why do you now want to kill an innocent man?” This plea from Jonathan worked for a time, and Saul promised that he would not kill David.
The abuse of power is common in popular culture today, just as it was back then. The one with the loudest voice, the strongest opinion or greatest financial means wins, leaving little room for those who are weak and defenseless. But that is not the environment that a Christian culture promotes.
Jonathan should have been the next in line for the throne of Israel. Yet he was willing to submit to God's choice of David as the next king. He risked being in the bad graces of his father to speak up for David.
Advocacy carries inherent risks. The advocate must often choose between being popular, loved and accepted or being ridiculed, black-listed and hated. It takes courage to advocate for the vulnerable.
I regularly hear stories of advocacy here at LLUH that warm my heart:
A student has been a victim of domestic violence. Several of her teachers show up at court to support her.
A brand-new employee loses everything in a house fire. The employee assistance fund provides help during a difficult time.
Colleagues of a medical assistant discover that she doesn't have money to celebrate Christmas with her young children. They pool their resources, buy a tree and surround it with wrapped gifts for her family.
Jesus is our advocate. It is through His death that our sins have been forgiven. The scriptures also teach us that He continues to be our advocate even now. We have the opportunity to extend the grace He's given to us — all across this campus, continuing the ministry of Jesus. May advocacy thrive in our midst!
—Kathy McMillan, MA, is the director of Employee spiritual care at Loma Linda University Medical Center
