What kind of person is it that would actually give you the shirt off their back? You’ve heard the expression and it truly is a selfless and merciful gesture, but who would do such a thing? Someone who would give you the shirt off their back is someone like Jonathan who immediately became friends with David. Jonathan didn’t just give David the shirt off his back, he gave him his robe.
SCRIPTURE
“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that [was] on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.“ I Samuel 18:3-4
It’s important that we see that Jonathan didn’t go to his cloth’s closet and get a robe for David to wear, but Jonathan gave David “the robe that was on him.” Jonathan also didn’t give pieces of his robe over a time period, but gave his armor, sword, bow and belt, meaning that he didn’t hold anything back in this selfless act of giving.
Jonathan was to David who Jesus Christ is to every born-again child of God. The moment we say “Yes” to Jesus and accept the gift of salvation and become a part of the royal family of God, we get a robe of righteousness.
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks [himself] with ornaments, And as a bride adorns [herself] with her jewels.“ Isaiah 61:10
On the day David killed Goliath and got victory for Israel over the Philistines, David’s wardrobe changed. He took off his shepherd rags and was adorned with a robe of royalty. Think about this from another perspective, God the Father took no time at all making sure that the future King of Israel would be clearly identified by the robe he wore.
What are you going to wear today? You can wear the old clothes that identify you as you have always been, or you can wear the robe of righteousness and be identified with spiritual royalty. Wear the clothes that identify you as who you really are in Christ. Wear the robe today!