阅读经文 

社会心理学家Nour Kteily曾说过：“很多人剥夺人与人之间的人性，他们缺乏自我意识的程度，实在令人震惊。……失去人性压抑了同理心。”（Jami Zaki, The War for Kindness）

登基成为以色列王之后，大卫本来可以消灭扫罗全家的，但他没有这样做。

大卫选择以恩典待人，而不是出于怨恨行事，显得他为人特立独行。他尝试“向众民秉公行义”，大卫又履行与约拿单的约定，向扫罗家施怜悯。

透过扫罗家的一个仆人，大卫获悉约拿单有一个幸免于难的儿子米非波设，他的双脚已瘸了。

大卫向米非波设施恩，必然会引起他下属的侧目。大卫把扫罗所有的田地都归还给米非波设，又邀请他与自己同席吃饭，人们都可能会为此感到惊讶。

就是这样，大卫以超越友谊的承诺来对待约拿单的儿子。尽管米非波设是残疾的，而且他的名声也受损，大卫却待他“如王的儿子一样。”大卫的慈爱已超越了宽容的限度，大卫知道丧失人性的行为对他人生产生的影响，所以他致力于跟随神的道路来活出健全的人性。

Social psychologist Nour Kteily has said, “Many people strip each other of humanity with a shocking lack of self-awareness … Dehumanization silences empathy” (Jamil Zaki, The War for Kindness).

David could have destroyed all of Saul’s family after becoming the king over Israel. But he didn’t.

It’s remarkable that David chose to act with grace instead of malice. As he tried to do “what was just and right for all his people,” David honored his friendship with Jonathan and showed mercy to the house of Saul.

Through a servant of Saul’s household, David learned that Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, had survived and that he was lame in both feet.

Showing kindness to Mephibosheth must have turned some heads among David’s subjects. People were likely shocked when David restored all of Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and invited him to eat at the king’s table.

In this way David went beyond the boundaries of friendship with Jonathan’s son. Despite his disability and his tarnished pedigree, Mephibosheth was included “as one of the king’s sons.” David showed kindness that went beyond tolerance. David knew what dehumanization had done to him, and he aimed to live God’s way instead.