00:00Hey everyone, and welcome back. Today, we're going to dive into an amazing story from long,
00:06long ago. It's a tale about a king, a promise, and a tricky situation that teaches us a lot
00:13about telling the truth and being a good friend. Are you ready? Let's get started. Our story begins
00:19with a very famous king named David. Now, King David had a super close best friend named Jonathan.
00:25They were like two peas in a pod. Sadly, Jonathan passed away, but before he did, David made a very
00:32special promise. He promised to always take care of Jonathan's family, no matter what. Years went by,
00:39and David became a powerful king. One day, he remembered his promise. He asked his helpers,
00:45is there anyone left from Jonathan's family that I can show kindness to? And guess what? There was.
00:51His name was Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was Jonathan's son, but he had a tough life. When
00:57he was just a little boy, he had an accident that made it hard for him to walk. When David found
01:03Mephibosheth, he didn't care about his disability. He saw the son of his best friend. David was so
01:09happy. He told Mephibosheth, don't be afraid. I'm going to give you back all the land that belonged to
01:15your grandfather, and you will always have a seat at my dinner table. Well, imagine that. Going from a
01:22quiet life to eating with the king every single day. To help Mephibosheth manage his large new
01:28property, David appointed a helper for him. This helper's name was Ziba. Ziba was supposed to be
01:33the manager, taking care of the land and making sure Mephibosheth had everything he needed. For a
01:39while, the king seemed to be going great. Mephibosheth was part of the royal family,
01:45just as David had promised. But like in many stories, things got a little shaky. There was a
01:51big problem in the kingdom. King David had to leave his home in Jerusalem very quickly. It was a sad
01:57and scary time for him. As he was leaving the city with his loyal friends, who should he see coming up
02:03the road? It was Ziba, Mephibosheth's helper. Ziba wasn't empty-handed. He brought supplies for the
02:10king, donkeys, bread, fruit, and wine. It was exactly what David and his tired friends needed. David was
02:17very grateful and asked, Ziba, this is so kind of you. But where is your master, Mephibosheth? Why isn't
02:25he here with you? And this is where our story takes a dramatic turn. Ziba looked at the king and told a
02:31big, fat lie. He said, oh, Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem. He thinks that with you gone,
02:38he can become the king himself and take back his grandfather's kingdom. Can you believe it?
02:43Ziba was twisting the story to make Mephibosheth look like a bad guy, like he was turning against
02:49the very king who had shown him so much kindness. Ziba was being sneaky, hoping to get something for
02:55himself. King David was hurt and upset. He was in the middle of a crisis, feeling betrayed
03:01by his own family. And now he heard that the person he had helped was also turning against him.
03:06In that moment of distress, David made a quick decision. He trusted Ziba's words without checking
03:13the other side of the story. He told Ziba, okay, everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is now
03:19yours. Just like that, Ziba's trick worked. He had lied. And as a result, he was given all of Mephibosheth's
03:27land and property. He used a difficult time to his own advantage. And poor Mephibosheth,
03:33who was back in Jerusalem, had no idea what was being said about him. This part of the story shows
03:39us how dangerous it can be to jump to conclusions and how much trouble a lie can cause. So while King
03:46David was away, Mephibosheth was very sad. But he wasn't sad because he wanted to be king. He was sad
03:53because King David, his friend and protector, was in trouble. To show how sad he was, Mephibosheth
03:59didn't wash his clothes, trim his mustache, or even wash his feet the entire time the king was gone.
04:06In those days, that was a way of showing deep mourning and loyalty. He was worried sick about
04:12David. Finally, the trouble in the kingdom was over, and it was safe for King David to return home to
04:18Jerusalem. It was a huge celebration. Everyone was cheering for the King's safe return. As David came
04:25back into the city, Mephibosheth went out to meet him. When David saw him, he probably noticed how messy
04:31and sad Mephibosheth looked. David asked him, Mephibosheth, why didn't you come with me when I left
04:38Jerusalem? This was Mephibosheth's chance to finally tell his side of the story. He explained everything.
04:44He said, My king, my servant Ziba tricked me. I told him to get a donkey ready for me so I could go with
04:51you because I can't walk well on my own. But he left without me, and then he told you lies about me.
04:57Mephibosheth wasn't angry or demanding. He just told the king the simple truth. He ended by saying,
05:04The king is like an angel from heaven, so do whatever you think is best. My whole family deserve
05:10nothing from you. But you gave me a place at your own table, so I have no right to ask for anything
05:15more. Well, what humility! Mephibosheth wasn't focused on getting his stuff back. He was just so
05:22happy that his king, his friend, was back home safe and sound. His loyalty was so pure and true. Now,
05:30King David was in a tricky spot. He had Ziba, who helped him during his crisis, but who also lied. And he
05:37had met Mephibosheth, the son of his best friend, who was loyal but had been treated unfairly. David
05:43had already given everything to Ziba, but now he knew the truth. So, what did the king decide?
05:49It was a tough call. David had to be a fair leader and also keep the peace in his kingdom. He made a
05:56decision that might seem a little strange to us. He said, You and Ziba will divide the land. Basically,
06:03he split the property between the two of them. Ziba didn't get to keep everything he had schemed for,
06:09but he wasn't left with nothing either. And Mephibosheth got half of his property back.
06:14But listen to Mephibosheth's amazing response. He said to the king, Let Ziba take it all. The most
06:20important thing is that you have come back home in peace. Isn't that incredible? Mephibosheth didn't
06:25care about the land or the money. His relationship with the king and his loyalty to him were what mattered
06:31most. He chose friendship and honor over possessions. He showed us what it truly means
06:38to be a loyal friend. This story teaches us so many important lessons. First, it shows us the power
06:44of a promise. King David never forgot his promise to his friend Jonathan. Second, it warns us about
06:51the danger of lies and deception. Ziba's dishonesty caused a lot of pain and confusion. It's a reminder
06:58to always tell the truth, even when it's hard. It also teaches us to be careful about judging too
07:03quickly. King David made a hasty decision because he was stressed and believed a lie without hearing
07:10the whole story. It's always a good idea to listen to both sides before making up our minds. And finally,
07:16Mephibosheth's example is just so powerful, he shows us that loyalty, forgiveness, and friendship are
07:23more valuable than any material thing we can own. He had every reason to be bitter. But instead,
07:30he chose to be joyful and grateful. So, what do you think? It's a pretty complex story with real
07:36people making difficult choices. It reminds us that even good leaders can make mistakes. And that in life,
07:43things aren't always simple. But through it all, virtues like honesty, loyalty, and forgiveness shine the
07:49brightest. Thanks so much for watching and listening to this incredible story with me today. I hope you
07:55enjoyed it. And don't forget to like this video and subscribe to the channel for more amazing stories.
08:01See you next time, and God bless!
