Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life and the time it takes to get to work.

I'm Tanya Wilmuth. Today's passage is a really beautiful story. It's beautiful in the way it inspires us with an unexpected kindness, and the way it invites us to consider how God's love

moves really ordinary people like us to do extraordinary, life-changing things, and because it gives

us a deeper glimpse into how personally God cares for each and every one of us. As you hear the

story of David and Maphibisheth today, ask yourself, who am I in this story?

That question is key.

Understanding this story starts with recognizing which character reflects us.

So we're going to walk through 2nd Samuel 9 today in three parts.

First, we're going to look at the kindness of David.

Second, the response of Maphibisheth, and third, the mercy of Jesus. First, the kindness of David. The story actually

begins long before this chapter during David's deep friendship with Jonathan. When Saul,

Jonathan's father was determined to kill David and preserve his own dynasty, Jonathan stood with David. He believed God's word that David would be king and risked everything to protect him. And before they parted ways, David made a covenant to show unfailing kindness to Jonathan's family for as long as he lived.

One should have put a bookmark in that, to show unfailing kindness.

Now that David has victory and stability, he's ready to keep that promise.

So he summons Ziba, a former servant of Saul's household, and asks if any of Jonathan's descendants remain so that he can fulfill his covenant.

Ziba responds, they're still the son of Jonathan's descendants remain so that he can fulfill his covenant. Ziba responds,

they're still the son of Jonathan. He is lame in both feet. And David asks, where is he?

Now, this is important. David's kindness isn't just well-meaning. It's active. He sins from Mephisheth, not to just observe him from afar or throw something his way,

but to meet him face to face and share news that will transform his life.

Now, Maphisheth, he was just doing his thing. He had no reason to expect kindness.

He was a member of Saul's house, so he could have been seen as a threat. He wasn't wealthy or powerful

anymore. He had once belonged to a royal family, but that royal line had been set aside. Yet David's

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